Ten Little Things
by MeantToBe16
Summary: Ten things about the HSM characters...
1. Troy Bolton

**Hey guys! I saw this on Harry Potter and thought I'd try one for HSM too... Tell me what you think!****Troy Bolton**

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1. The first time he played basketball was when he was four years old. His father was playing with his cousin and he had wanted to learn. It became his life when he turned five.

2. The first time he met Chad was in pre-school and he hated the guy. The afro-headed boy was conceited and selfish. But then they got talking about basketball and they were best friends ever since.

3. The first time he sang on stage was the first time he had ever really been afraid of anything. What if people laughed at his horrible singing? And then he saw the nervous girl beside him and how scared she looked and made the first move. He had never been more thankful for his singing talent after that night.

4. He had his first kiss with Gabriella. Nobody except Gabriella, of course, knew that he had gotten his first kiss at the age of 17. Oh, the horror of Chad ever finding out.

5. He had never felt so good after telling his father that he was not just the basketball guy. Something inside him was free. And he liked the feeling. A lot.

6. He had hated Ryan Evans in the second year of high school. Ryan was hanging out with his friends and his girlfriend. And Troy Bolton did not appreciate that.

7. He hated Sharpay Evans even more. She was taking him away from his friends and his girlfriend.

8. He had always disliked Ms. Darbus. She was overdramatic and gave the worst detentions. Leaving high school for college scared the hell out of him. The idea of being away from his friends, his family and Gabriella was unsettling. He was confused. And after a talk with Darbus, he had never been more thankful for having a teacher like her.

9. He knew he made the right choice by going to Berkeley for theatre and basketball. Cause it meant being with Gabriella. And he liked that.

10. He knew he was going to make mistakes as a husband and soon, as a father. But as Gabriella walked down the aisle in the gorgeous dress, he knew that she would be there to help him out just like she always had through high school and just like she always would in their future together.

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**A/N: Please review and tell me what you think! Should I continue or just delete this?**

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	2. Gabriella Montez

**Gabriella Montez**

1. Her father died when she was ten. She had hated him for leaving her at first but then became glad he died. After all, he had been in pain through out the treatments and he had said so himself that he was ready to move on. It wasn't until she was a little older did Gabriella realized what he had meant.

2. Her most cherished memory of her father is one of them dancing together. It was before he had gotten sick. She remembered her mother watching from the sidelines with a smile on her face and remembered feeling happy being in her father's arms. Something she missed a lot until she met Troy.

3. Her heart always beats faster at the mention of Troy Bolton. He was her first kiss and first love. And she didn't know how, but she had known that the boy singing with her on New Years 2006 was the boy she had been waiting for. And after college, when they were still together, she knew that he was the one she wanted to grow old and have babies with.

4. Another reason she fell for Troy was that he respected women, treated them with care and never shouted at her no matter how mad she knew he was at her. And after every fight, every kiss and every hug, Gabriella Montez fell even more in love with him.

5. She didn't know what to think of Ms. Darbus at first. She was the first teacher who had given her detention. But she was also the first teacher who had given her the chance of finding her passion for singing. And ten years after high school, when she found herself teaching at East High, she loved Ms. Darbus. Not only as her former teacher but also as a colleague, as a friend.

6. She hated her mother for a while because they had had to move so many times. But then her mother transferred them to East High and had kept her promise of staying until after graduation. And she had loved her mother so much more after that.

7. She disliked (not hated cause hate is a very strong word) Sharpay Evans when they were in high school. The blonde bimbo was selfish and unkind and only thought of stealing her Troy away from her.

8. She was more surprised than anyone else when she and Sharpay became friends after high school. Nonetheless, she accepted her new friend and was delighted and thankful for the blonde when she volunteered to be her wedding planner. After all, Sharpay Evans was part of her family of friends now.

9. She feels like the second youngest in her gang of friends. Troy's her boyfriend so he's naturally protective. Chad, Zeke, Jason and Ryan were the overprotective brothers. Taylor and Sharpay were her older sisters and Kelsi was the younger sister she never had. They were like one complete family and Gabriella loved them with all of her heart.

10. She loved Troy so much that she had 5 babies with him. And she knew that they were going to make mistakes and screw up but it calmed her that she had her friends and family to support her. And most importantly, Troy.

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**A/N: What do you guys think? Should I make one for Chad or Taylor next? You pick in your reviews! :)**


	3. Chad Danforth

**Chad Danforth**

1. For as long as he could remember, basketball had been his life. He had spent time playing basketball as his quality father-son time and it had brought him and Troy together in pre-school. Basketball was the only and most important hing in the world to him. And it always was until he fell for Taylor McKessie.

2. He had hated Troy when they first met. Troy was always nice to everyone, even the yucky girls and he had stolen his crayon! But then they started playing basketball together and Chad declared Troy his best friend forever.

3. He had admired Mr. Bolton since day one. The man was good at basketball and he was more than happy to coach Chad and Troy. Years later, when Chad looked back on the past, he realized that Jack Bolton had been more than a coach to him. Jack had been his second father.

4. When he had learnt that Troy had tried out for the school musical, he was furious. And it made him even more furious when his friends started confessing their hidden talents. Looking back, he realized that he wasn't mad that they had broken the status quo. He was mad that none of their friends had confided in him.

5. He was unsure what to feel when he and Taylor began hanging out and he started liking her. After all, Taylor was a nerd and he was a jock. They would never work out. And then he remembered that Troy and Gabriella were together and had never been happier when he accepted his feelings.

6. He had been horrified when Sharpay and Gabriella became friends. He had shunned Sharpay at first, stubbornly saying that she was up to something and trying to keep Gabriella away from the Ice Queen. It wasn't until Gabriella had screamed at him that he was being childish did he take the time to get to know the real Sharpay Evans. And surprisingly, he had liked her and then accepted her as part of the gang.

7. He had been afraid of calling Gabriella his best friend at first for fear of Troy being jealous. He finally figured that he was being stupid when Gabriella hugged him after graduation and said, "You better not break Taylor's heart. I'd hate to have to kill my other best friend." He had been confused at first but then realized that you could have more than one best friend.

8. He had almost bailed on his wedding day. He was even almost half-way packed when Troy found him. The dirty-blonde haired Lakers player had then calmed him down and talked about the pleasures of being with the person you'll love your whole life. Chad Danforth married Taylor McKessie fifteen minutes later with the biggest smile on his face. The fact that he had almost ran away was never mentioned between the two friends ever again.

9. He always had trouble letting go. When he left high school for college, when Troy and Gabriella got married and when his only daughter started to date. Troy had gone through the same thing three years before he did with his first girl. He had laughed at his best friend at that time but it was not funny any more. He wanted his baby girl back.

10. Troy was his best friend since pre-school, Gabriella his other best friend since high school and Taylor was the first girl he had ever loved. So as his heart stopped beating at the age of eighty-nine, making him the last Wildcat gang member to die, the three of them were the people whom he last dreamt of.

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**A/N: Please review. I'm either doing taylor or sharpay next... Pleview!**

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	4. Taylor McKessie

**Taylor McKessie**

1. She was closest to her older sister, Charmaine, and had always looked up to her. When she was four, Charmaine taught her how to deal with nasty boys. When she was fourteen, Charmaine taught her how to catch a boys' attention (That lesson was never needed until she met Chad). And when she was eighteen and leaving high school, it was her sister that taught her that love would get her and Chad through three years of separation.

2. When she first officially met Gabriella Montez, she was amazed. I mean, the brunette was a pretty genius with the best academic results East High had ever seen. She was thrilled when Gabriella decided to join them.

3. She knew that teaming up with Chad Danforth to get Gabriella focused on her true ambition was wrong but she had never regretted it. Cause if they hadn't tried to separate Troy and Gabriella, their love might not have been tested and she and Chad would never have gotten together.

4. Chad Danforth was the first boy she kissed but she had always been disappointed that she had not been Chad's first. She had never told this to anyone except Gabriella though. And years later, she realized that she was Chad's first time, first relationship and first love and never thought about her first kiss until her daughter asked about it.

5. Her favourite song since she was a little girl was You Are Not Alone by Michael Jackson. It had helped her through her parent's divorce when her father had left her family and when she and Chad were away from each other during college.

6. She had known that Chad was the only one for her when she had kissed Adam Murray in college for the short amount of time that she and Chad had separated. She had never felt more guilty or happy in her life.

7. She loved Troy Bolton liked a brother. It was, after all, him who had come down to Harvard to talk to her about how upset Chad was without her and how Chad would forgive her for kissing another guy. After all, the kiss had meant nothing.

8. She would never forget the look of pride on her loved one's faces when she announced that she got the job as a brain surgeon at a hospital. They made her feel good and special.

9. She loved her daughter with all of her heart and vowed to protect her from heartbreak. When her daughter went through her first heartbreak, Taylor had hated herself for being such a terrible mother. It was Chad and Gabriella who had calmed her down and told her that it was part of watching their kids grow up.

"It's not something you want to see but you just have to," Gabriella had said.

10. She was the first out of the gang to die. At the age of 73, she had died in her sleep with Chad's arms wrapped around her fragile form loosely.

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**A/N: Please review!**

**P.S. R.I.P. Michael Jackson**

**P.P.S. Should I do Sharpay or Ryan next?**


	5. Ryan Evans

**Ryan Evans**

1. He had always been known as Sharpay Evans' twin brother and he hadn't really minded it until high school. In fact, he had been proud to have such a close relationship with his sister because all of the other guys didn't.

2. It was in the first year of high school did he realize what a pain in the butt his sister was. The way she treated Kelsi Nielson was unacceptable and the way she rejected Zeke Baylor was downright cruel. It was then that Ryan began disliking his sister.

3. Kelsi was his first real friend. Even though she hadn't known it until they started dating, Kelsi had always been his confidante. And when he had been forced to go through with Sharpay's evil plan, he would never forget Kelsi's angry face and the glares she sent him in the hallways.

4. He felt like a free bird after he had left Sharpay for the Wildcats before he felt guilty. After all, this was his sister he was talking about. And for a while, he worried about how sad she was going to be when Troy got back together with Gabriella. He didn't feel bad anymore after she had confronted him in the music room at the club. She had, after all, made it clear that she didn't need him.

5. He accepted his sister back into his life after the talent show but had known that she had not truly changed. And he was proven right when she returned to Ice Queen Mode in senior year.

6. He had been jealous when he found out that Kelsi and Jason Cross were dating for a while and to fill up Kelsi's place, he had dated Martha. But Martha was no Kelsi, and he hated Jason Cross a lot.

7. He felt guilty for feeling delighted when Jelsi broke up. He was the one who comforted the petite brunette and who wiped her tears. He was the one who asked her to prom and had never felt happier when she said yes. He discovered, before high school ended, that Ryelsi just might work.

8. He was so happy that he was going to the same college as Kelsi and actually felt relieved that he wasn't going with Sharpay. It was his time, he decided, for him to shine. And he would be known as Ryan Evans, the best damn choreographer around and not as Ryan Evans, Sharpay Evans' twin brother.

9. It was Troy and Chad who had helped him pick out the rings. In all the years he had been at East High, he had never thought that the three of them would ever be friends let alone go shop for wedding rings. But it was Chad who had pointed out the beautiful engagement ring and it was then that Ryan loved Gabriella for coming to East High and changing the status quo.

10. His wedding day was the happiest day of his life and he was a little ashamed that the birth of his sons and daughters could not even top that. Because on his wedding day, his father had finally told him how proud he was of him. On his wedding day, Kelsi had called him just to tell him that she loved him and that there was no one else for her other than him. Because on his wedding day, Kelsi was his forever.

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**A/N: Review!**


	6. Kelsi Nielson

**Kelsi Nielson**

1. The day her grandmother died was the saddest day of her life. That day was the day Kelsi had lost her best friend and her co-songwriter. It was her grandmother who had taught her how to play the piano, recognize the notes and play with all of her heart.

2. She had decided to join the Drama Club after lots of persuasion on her mother's part. Kendra Nielson had always known how talented her daughter was and it was not just her motherly pride talking. Besides, she knew Kelsi had a little crush on Ryan Evans.

3. She had hated her mother for making her join the Drama Club. Sharpay and Ryan Evans were such pains in the butt! Well, maybe not Ryan but Sharpay sure was. Kelsi had never met anyone so demanding, spoilt and scary before. On the other hand, Kelsi had never met anyone as gentle, soft-spoken or dedicated as Ryan before and she developed a little crush on the male Evans twin.

4. She didn't know why she went out with Jason in the second year of high school. She had blamed Ryan for that one. If he hadn't gone along with Sharpay's plan, Kelsi wouldn't have been angry with him.

5. She had started loving Ryan when he started coaching the Wildcats for the Star Dazzle Awards. She saw the real Ryan again and was glad that Gabriella had encouraged him to join them. She had felt guilty for feeling jealous of Gabriella at first though.

6. She had troubles admitting the truth to herself and her friends the truth. After all, she was dating Jason, it was wrong to have feelings for someone else. It was Gabriella and Troy who had pulled her aside and made her admit her feelings. She had cried that she was a horrible person for being in love with Ryan when she was with Jason and that love was a pain in the ass. It was Troy who had lifted her chin up so that she was looking at him.

"You're wrong, Kels. True love brings happiness beyond your wildest imagination." He had looked at Gabriella lovingly while he said it and Kelsi realized that Jason never looked at her like that. Ryan did.

7. When she broke up with Jason, she was relieved and she could see that he was too. He had smiled at her kindly and told her that he had seen the way she looked at Ryan and that he had had a crush on Martha Cox anyway. Kelsi had laughed and hugged him for all his worth.

8. She was delighted when she found out that she and Ryan were going to the same college. She was also happy that Sharpay would not be there. Kelsi could finally have Ryan to herself. She didn't tell anyone that little piece of information though. And years later, when Sharpay Evans had become one of her best friends, she felt guilty for her happiness at Sharpay's absence from Ryan's life.

9. She found out that Ryan had asked her to prom because Sharpay had told him to during their last year in college. She had been furious and hurt and had not talked to Ryan for three whole days. It was Sharpay who had comforted her, surprisingly, and told her that Ryan would have done it sooner or later and that Ryan really loved her for her and not because Sharpay had told him to. She had been horrified when Sharpay told her that her twin brother had not eaten anything for the past three days. Horrified, Kelsi had sprinted to Ryan's dormitory and had slapped him for hurting himself before kissing him with all her heart.

10. If you asked her when the happiest day of her life was, she would say that it was a tie between her wedding day and the birth of her triplets. Because on her wedding day, she knew that Ryan was there to stay and that he was forever hers and she was forever his and on the day her triplets were born, Kelsi Nielson realized that Troy Bolton was right. True love does bring happiness beyond your wildest imagination.

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**A/N: Review! And tell me what you think! And guess what? My aunt's pregnant! I'm gonna be a cousin! Yay!**


	7. Sharpay Evans

**Sharpay Evans**

1. She loved being the more popular twin and had never felt guilty about it. It had never occurred to her that maybe her twin felt unimportant in the limelight.

2. She had not liked Kelsi Nielson at first. After all, it was obvious that the girl had a crush on her brother and her brother was spending more and more time with Kelsi, writing music and everything. Sharpay made it her goal to make Kelsi miserable in hopes of scaring the musician away from her brother.

3. She hated Gabriella Montez the moment the brunette started hanging out with Troy. After all, Troy was supposed to be with her, not Geeky Gabi. Her hatred for Gabriella developed when Gabriella tried out for the musicale with Troy and ended up making Sharpay go to her first ever call back.

4. She felt like a genius after contorting her plan to make sure that Troyella never made it to the musicals. She also, however, saw that Ryan was reluctant of her plans. He might have said that he was proud but Sharpay knew that was just a spur of the moment kind of thing. She also saw Kelsi's glares and dirty looks at Ryan and actually felt a little guilty.

5. Losing to Gabriella was downright humiliating. Gabriella had gotten the part in the musical, gotten the boy and the whole school loved her. Something that Sharpay had been trying to do since day one. It was then that Sharpay realized that she was jealous of Gabriella and she vowed that one day, she would take back everything Gabriella had ever taken from her.

And a year later, when Gabriella confronted her about ruining her friends' summer and hers, left the country club before reappearing again on the talent show, Sharpay had hated her guts even more.

After high school though, she had been so surprised when the two of them shared a closer bond. She knew, however, that Chad had hated the idea of her being in the gang at first and had never felt happier when he finally accepted her.

6. Zeke Baylor was the most annoying cool basketball guy she had ever met but damn, he made the greatest cookies! And for a long time, after she had made it known that his cookies were the best, she found different kinds of cookies every week. She would smile though and for anyone who would have been walking by, they would have had a heart attack upon seeing a tender smile on Sharpay's face.

7. She had started liking Zeke after he had accepted her into the gang without a doubt about her while the others were still skeptical. She still wanted the lead role to the musical though, and for that, Gabriella had to be gone. She knew that Zeke and her brother knew about her dirty plan and had not felt guilty about it. After all, it was strategic survival.

Surprisingly, it wasn't Ryan who had made her come to her senses though. Unsurprisingly, it was Zeke. He had confronted her a day before the musical and had shouted at her for breaking Troy and Gabriella up yet again. What had he done that wasn't enough for her? He had been the first to accept her into the gang, the only one who would've gone to prom when she had just assumed he would and she still felt the need to be with Troy. She had explained to him that it was not about Troy, that it was about her being in the musical. He had glared at her before storming out of the room.

Not, however, before saying, "It's not about Troy and it's not about Gabriella. It's about you, Sharpay, and it always have been. I thought you've changed but I was wrong. You are still the selfish jerk who thinks you have to have everything

8. She had felt so betrayed when Tiara Gold turned out to be such a little bitch. Not as betrayed as she had felt when Ryan left her for the Wildcats but still betrayed. She had also been disgusted by the wannabe Troy. It was as she stole her own spotlight back from Tiara did she realize that Zeke was right, it had always been about her and her selfish needs. If she had made the effort to get to know her cast mates and the gang like Ryan had, she wouldn't have needed Tiara.

9. She was ecstatic that Zeke and her remained friends through college and started dating in the last year of their education lives. A long-distance relationship was complicated, especially with the added stress of being in the final year of college. But they had pulled through to her pleasant surprise.

10. She had been disappointed when Kelsi and Ryan decided to get married. Kelsi was not good enough for her brother. She was timid and unconfident and definitely not pretty enough. She even had a row about it with her brother. It was Zeke who had comforted her and told her that Ryan deserved to be happy with the one he loved. And it was Kelsi whom Ryan had fallen for, Kelsi who had seen Ryan for who he was before Sharpay did and Kelsi who had always made Ryan happy. Sharpay had then apologized and welcomed Kelsi into the family.

It was on that day did she realize that Zeke was the one and only for her. He had liked her when no one else did and had understood her. He had never given up on her and when she proposed to him right then and there she was as horrified as she was excited. Zeke had frozen on the spot at first but he had then laughed and spun her around. Yes, he said, always.

And a year later, when their beautiful baby girl was born, Sharpay was determined to make her more like her Zeke or Gabriella, the two people who had changed her life for the better.

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**A/N: Review! Sorry it's a little long... I'll be doing Zeke next...**


	8. Zeke Baylor

**Zeke Baylor**

1. His real name was Zeke Armen Preston. His biological father had left him and his mother when he was only three years old. When Zeke was eight, his mother married Aaron Baylor and to Zeke, Aaron was the best father a boy could ever have. And so, when he was ten, Zeke Preston made a decision. He would only be known as Zeke Baylor, son of Aaron Baylor and not Zeke Preston, son of abandoning cheat. After all, like his mother, Priscilla, had told him, family and friends mattered the most.

2. It was Aaron who had got him hooked on to cooking. Zeke has always found it so brave that his stepfather was doing a 'girls' thing and was being admired and rewarded for it. For four years, he learnt the art of baking and cooking from Aaron and would proudly admit that he could cook. It wasn't until he started high school did he start feeling ashamed of his talent.

3. He didn't even know he was any good at basketball until he met and became friends with Troy Bolton, Chad Danforth and Jason Cross. He had been the worst player of them though but he vowed that he would improve. And it was Jason who practiced with him every single day until they all made the team, Jason who defended him when the others said he was rubbish and Jason who had found out his secret passion of cooking and kept it a secret. And that was what made Jason Cross his best friend till they day he died.

4. He didn't know how, but he knew that Sharpay Evans was the one for him the moment he saw her in homeroom period for the first time. He felt like a lunatic at first though. Love at first sight? Who believed in that stuff anyway? But he did the moment he saw Sharpay. His step-father said that it was normal to feel that way since he was, after all, a teenager and that the crush would go away in a matter of time. And when it didn't go away, Zeke began to worry.

5. He had been so relieved when he had told everyone about his passion for cooking. He had been scared of Chad's reaction at first and had actually felt furious at the conceited afro-headed basketball player when he had shouted at Jason for revealing his passion for making movies and at him for his passion of cooking. Zeke had just stormed out of the gym with Jason close behind him.

6. He was furious at Sharpay the first summer they spent together. How could she be such a bitch? How could she stop the Wildcats from performing? And then she had relented and let the Wildcats perform and Zeke forgave her for what she did even though deep down, he knew that she would do it again.

And to say he was devastated when he was proven right was an understatement. He hadn't felt bad for shouting at her in senior year though. It had, after all, made Sharpay realize that she was in the wrong.

7. He had been so happy when he and Sharpay became friends through college. It was her calls that kept him going and her calls and sweet voice that convinced him that she was the one for him. And when he finally asked her out in their last year of college, he knew they would make it through despite the long distance between them.

8. He always felt furious at Chad for giving Sharpay a hard time when she was trying to reform and had never felt more thankful nor satisfied when Gabriella had screamed at Chad for being an idiot.

9. He had never been more surprised when his love of his life proposed to him but he had been so delighted. Because through everything they had gone through, her proposing to him had proved that she loved him as much as he loved her and he knew that the old Sharpay was gone.

10. He was the most loving father, husband and friend. When his children had needed him, he was there in a second. When Sharpay was having her moments, it was only him who could calm her down. And when Jason had died from cancer at the age of 52, it was Zeke who handled all the funeral arrangements, Zeke who had comforted his friends and it was Zeke who had adopted his best friend's son who was like his own anyway. Cause after all, family and friends were what matters most.

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**A/N: Review! And who should I do next? Jason? Darbus? Jack Bolton? Or Martha Cox? **


	9. Jason Cross

**Jason Cross**

1. His sister had passed away when he was twelve and she was fifteen. Amelia Cross had died from cancer. In the last few years of her life, Jason had developed a liking for filming stuff and he had filmed her battle from the start to the end. It was not until he was fifteen did he find the videos again and did he have the strength to look at it. The videos, he realized, had depicted Amelia's happiness and her strength. And it was then that Jason knew that photography and making movies was his thing.

2. Basketball was never his thing. He only took it up because he knew that Troy Bolton and Chad Danforth loved the game and he didn't want to lose his friendship with them in junior high. He knew that Zeke was struggling with it too, and together they improved their game. And when the two of them got better at the sport, almost as good as Troy and Chad, and became the star players of East High, he had actually enjoyed the game.

3. He knew people called him many names behind his back and for a while, he believed them to be true. It wasn't until Troy, Chad and Zeke had put the insults to a stop did he regain his self-esteem. And it was for that that Jason Cross considered them to be his friend.

4. He was shocked to have found out that Zeke had loved cooking but he had been touched that his friend had confided in him. And so, he had told Zeke about his love for making movies and about his sister. It was on that day that Zeke Baylor became his best friend. After all, it was Zeke who had been there to comfort him when he felt vulnerable, Zeke who had told Troy and Chad to 'Fuck off!' when he was having a bad day and Zeke who had helped him through his crush on Martha Cox even though he was dating Kelsi in the second year of high school.

5. He had asked Kelsi out as a spur of the moment thing and only Zeke knew about it. He never expected their date to be so much more and then to be in a relationship. Of course, he did not miss the dirty looks and glares directed at him from a certain Ryan Evans. When Kelsi had broken up with him, he had been relieved and it comforted him a little that he knew she was too.

6. He knew, no matter what Zeke said, he was never part of the gang. Troy and Chad were best friends and Gabriella and Taylor were their girlfriends. Sharpay was the girls' best friend and Zeke was her boyfriend. Ryan was Sharpay's brother and Kelsi her sister-in-law. So in a way, they were all related and that was what brought them close. And though he was Zeke's best friend, he was never anything else.

7. It had been a surprise when Martha had shown up at his house ten years after college to inform him that she was pregnant. After all, they only had had sex once and Jason even wondered sometimes id they did have it. She had told him that he could just walk away from the baby's life if he wanted to. Again, it was Zeke who had comforted him and Zeke who had told him that he had responsibilities as a father.

8. His son was his most valuable treasure. And after Martha died at childbirth, he knew that no matter what, he was going to be the best damn father around. Because it was true that a child needs his mother the most, but he also needs his father. And with the help of Zeke and Sharpay, Jason knew that his son was going to be the happiest boy on earth for he had all the love he needed, sometimes, Jason would think amusedly, too much.

9. His world came crashing down when he found out that he too had cancer. And he had cursed and swore and asked himself why it had happened to him. He never drank alcohol or smoked, so why were horrible things happening to him? But then he remembered his sister and how she had fought her battle and he realized that he was luckier than her. After all, he had managed to have the perfect son, amazing friends and even have a godson. It was then that he realized that he had been luckier than her. And when his godson started getting fond of making films like he did and started filming his journey through cancer, Jason Cross made sure that his family knew that he loved them and that they would one day meet again.

10. He knew that he was leaving his son in good hands and it was with that knowledge did he die peacefully in his sleep, a smile on his thin face.

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**A/N: Review! And who do you want me to do next? Martha? Darbus? Jack Bolton? Principal Matsui?**


	10. Martha Cox

**Martha Cox**

1. She had loved dancing all her life. It was when she started school did she realize that she was a clever girl too. Her mother had told her that education was important and so, she concentrated more on her academics. But if she ever felt the need to relax, she knew that all she had to do was dance.

2. Ever since she started school, she had always been teased about her weight. And though it was just friendly teasing, she felt hurt and found herself wanting to look like those skinny models in her sister's fashion magazines.

3. Taylor McKessie had been her first friend. It was Taylor who had convinced her that she was pretty on the inside no matter how she looked on the outside, Taylor who would wipe her tears when she was being teased and Taylor who had poured ice cold water on Chad Danforth's head when he had called her a fat pig in the last year of junior high. And when Gabriella Montez entered high school and Taylor started hanging out with her, Martha had felt disappointed and alone.

4. She had felt so beautiful and loved when Ryan and her started dating. But then she became friends with Jason and developed feelings for him. It was after that did she notice Ryan's constant looks at Kelsi and Kelsi's not-so-subtle glares at her. Ryan had never liked her as anyone more than a friend and for the first time, Martha accepted the fact that not everyone wanted her.

5. She had loved Jason Cross. He was amazing and understood how she felt about hiding her talent. It was him who had urged her to join the dance club in East High and Martha knew that he would be a very special someone to her.

6. Her father had left her family when she was 17 and she was so mad at him. But it was then that she realized that the people she loved or got close to eventually left her. Taylor did and so did Ryan and Jason would too, she realized. And it was because of that, she went straight to college without a goodbye to any of her friends including Jason.

7. She had lost touch with all her friends in high school after she graduated, not bothering to keep in touch with any of them. After all, Taylor had Gabriella and Kelsi had Ryan. None of them needed her. It was only at the tenth year high school reunion did she realize that none of them ever really mattered to her other than Jason. And it was with that knowledge did they get together for old times sake.

8. She had been terrified and ecstatic when she found herself beside Jason in bed the next morning. Terrified because she knew she had to leave but ecstatic because she had had the most perfect night ever.

9. She was beyond horrified when she found out she was pregnant. Surprisingly, the first person she had gone to was Gabriella. And it was Gabriella who had calmed her down, spent the night with her and convinced her that Jason had the right to know the truth. She finally accepted Gabriella as her friend when Jason had told her that he would be the best father ever.

10. She had known that there would be complications during the birth of her child and that she might die. The doctors had suggested abortion but she just couldn't do it. She had grown to love her baby and there was no way that she was going to be responsible for the death of a young life. Furthermore, Jason had loved the idea of being a father and there was no way she was going to deprive him of what was rightfully his. And it was with the knowledge that her child was in good hands did Martha Cox breathed her last breath.

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**A/N: Review! And next person shall be...?**


	11. Ms Darbus

**Ms 'Alyson' Darbus**

She had always loved her name. According to her mother, she had been named after her mother's best friend who had been a Broadway actor. It was only when she was ten did she find out that Alyson Bradford had been her real mother and that Millicent and Armen Darbus were her adopted parents. It was then did she start resenting her name because it reminded her of the woman who had abandoned her own daughter for her career. It was also then on, did she insist on being called Darbus.

She had never wanted to be an actress on Broadway but when the opportunity arose, she grabbed it. She knew her parents were proud of her for doing what she loved and that was all she needed. And she was doing so well until she had to perform with her biological mother.

She had left Broadway just three months after working with her mother. For though they had chemistry on stage, Darbus hated Alyson Bradford off stage too much. And it was because of that hatred did she realize that she never wanted to work on Broadway again. And although she had learnt to never mix her personal life with her career, she just couldn't not mix it. She was 32 when she quit.

Her niece had been in a drama production for her school and her drama teacher had gotten the flu bug so Darbus had filled in. It was then that she decided that she was going to teach teenagers, and more specifically, high-schoolers. Because although they were difficult to deal with, they were a joy to see when they had achieved something.

Though he didn't know it, Principal Matsui had been her first real friend. He was an understanding boss and had been the one who had granted her a three-month-leave after her biological mother died.

She was surprised to have felt regret when her mother died. Since she was ten, she had always hated and cursed her mother so much. It was when her adopted mother hugged her to comfort her did she realize that she regretted never making amendments with her Alyson before she died. But it was by then too late and there was nothing she could do about it.

She had been disgusted by Jack Bolton the moment he started coaching the basketball team. He was conceited and biased for he only gave special treatment to the basketball players. It was only when he had once suspended his basketball player for almost killing her in the parking lot did she only admit to herself that he was on okay person. She had started liking him until his son entered the school and basketball once again became the school's pride and joy and the drama club remained forgotten.

She had liked Troy the moment she saw him and after teaching him for a while, he became one of her favorite students (even if she didn't show it). In all her years as a teacher, she had never seen a young man so eager to please his father, friends and teachers. And while the other kids made fun of her subject behind her back, she knew that Troy was the one who silenced them and got them to do their work. And he became even better after Gabriella Montez came into the picture and Darbus deemed the smart girl a true genius for bringing the school and Troy together.

Chad Danforth, on the other hand, was a different story. That boy was wild, carefree and had absolutely no sense of responsibility. But it was for those reasons that he became one of her favorite students of all times.

She knew there was more to Sharpay Evans than the fierce face she put on. That child was a stuck-up brat and only did things that would benefit herself. So, when she suggested changing the timings of the final callbacks, she knew that something was up but went along with it anyway. It was not until Troy and Gabriella were missing did she realize what had happened. It was in the last year when Sharpay got together with Zeke did she know for sure that her most difficult student had finally changed.

Her twin brother, Ryan, on the other hand, had great potential and Darbus waited for the moment when he would finally step out of his sister's shadow. She had never been prouder of him when he finally did and felt even better when she learnt that he was with her most favorite student of all times, Kelsi Nielson who was the best songwriter she had ever educated.

She was most worried about Jason Cross. He was not so sharp and she had no idea how he would survive out of high school. When he did survive though, she had never been so proud of a student. He was, in her eyes, her most successful project.

When her favorite batch of students had graduated, she felt herself missing them and found herself wishing they were sitting in the seats Jimmy Z and Sharpay Jr. were sitting on. And when Gabriella Montez joined the faculty ten years later and Sharpay as assistant drama teacher (she was much better then), she felt like a mother who was being with her children after a long time. And when their children ended up being her students, she watched on as Troy Bolton's son fell in love with a pretty intellectual brunette just like his father did, Sharlene Evans fall in love with Brad Danforth and Marina Baylor fall in love with a guy from West High and brought East High to chaos the exact way their parents did.

As she watched her students grow to be the people they became, be it successful or not, she knew that she had done her job as a teacher and she was satisfied with it. So, as she lay on her deathbed, she saw her favorite batch of students, Troy Botlon, Gabriella Montez, Chad Danforth, Taylor McKessie, Sharpay Evans, Zeke Baylor, Ryan Evans, Kelsi Nielson, Jason Cross and Martha Cox.


	12. Jack Bolton

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Jack Bolton

1. He was the worst basketball player in junior high. He had gone to his father for help and it was his father who had taught him to fake right and break left and all other basketball skills he had mastered. It was when he became team captain in East High in the year 1981 and led his team to the championships did he realize how important basketball was to him.

2. He met Lucille Landers in college and hated her so much. She was too smart for her own good and too cocky. Sure, she was beautiful but that didn't change the fact that she never missed an opportunity to insult him. It was in the last year of college did he begin to appreciate her smartness and her other traits. For example, Jack realized that she was kind and considerate, not to mention sensitive to anyone's feelings, even people she disliked. They began dating when Jack finally decided that his pride wasn't as worthy as Lucille.

3. He realized he loved her when her ex-boyfriend came to visit her at graduation. Blake Masters was good-looking, attractive and smart and Jack Bolton hated him for it. And when he saw how Blake connected with Lucille's parents, he began to worry. He intended on making her choose between them but knew it wouldn't be fair to her. So, he chose for her and left without a word to her or anyone else except Cliff Danforth. It was three days later when Lucille arrived at his doorstep did he clear all his doubts of her not loving him.

4. His father had been furious at him when he chose Lucille instead of a successful basketball career. Heck, he had been furious with himself. But when Lucille hugged him tight at night, he knew that he had made the right choice because he could imagine life without basketball but he could not imagine life without Lucille. And when he explained his logic to his father, he had been pleasantly surprised that his father understood.

5. His wedding day was chaotic. Before the wedding, his brother had complained of how uncomfortable he was in his tux, his sister had screamed and cried that she looked terrible and it had all ended when his father had yelled for them to shut up and act matured because it was not their day it was Jack's. It was one of the rare times that Jack had heard his father shout. His family argument lay forgotten, though, when Lucille walked down the aisle in a beautiful white gown with the most radiant smile on her face. He would soon have his own family to look forward to.

6. He had joined East High's faculty just three years after he and Lucille got married. After all, East High was where he made friends and gained his talent. He never liked the new drama teacher though. Ms. Darbus was cranky and thought drama to be more important than basketball.

7. When Lucille told him that she was pregnant, he vaguely remembered fainting. He denied it later, though. After fainting, he had sat down with Lucille to tell her his fears of becoming a father. She had held his hand and hugged him, telling him that she knew she was going to make mistakes too. But what mattered was that they had each other. When Troy was born though, he loved his son immediately.

8. He was so proud of Troy when he shot his first basket at the age of four. And when Troy went to high school, Jack was the proudest father alive. And though he hadn't approved at first, he had to admit that his son had a pretty good voice. And it was when he saw Troy performing on stage with Gabriella Montez for the first time did he realize that Troy had found his soul mate. Slowly, he felt like he was losing his son.

9. Chad Danforth, Zeke Baylor, Jason Cross and Ryan Evans were like his second sons. Chad was his favorite, however, because he loved basketball the most and respected him the most. Chad also valued friendship, loyalty and relationships and Jack loved him like his own son. Even Lucille would acknowledge Chad as her son sometimes.

10. He retired from teaching and coaching at the age of 65. By that time, he had been a teacher to his son and his grandchildren. He had watched his son fall in love, Chad become responsible and his grandsons fall in love in the same school. He had watched as Zeke, Sharpay, Jason, Ryan and Kelsi dealt with their children, calmed Chad down when the afro-haired father had worried about his little girl growing up too fast and laughed at his son when he was having marital or parenting issues. It was at the age of 76 did he retire from being a father and grandfather when he faced his most serious and final heart attack.

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**A/N: Review! Please?**


	13. Lucille Bolton

**Lucille Bolton**

1. She skipped two grades because she was too smart. So, when kids her age were still in elementary school, she was already in junior high. And when she was in high school, she was anti-social before she became best friends with Cheryl Thompson and Kelly Sparks. It was through them did she gain new friends and feel accepted for the first time in her life.

2. She thought that Blake Masters was her first love. She was sixteen and he was eighteen when they got together in their senior year of high school. Lucille found herself being happier than she used to be. But then he broke up with her after graduation and she was left broken-hearted while news of him in college having the time of his life speculated through the small town she lived in.

3. She was so happy when she finally made it to college. And though she had the chance to go to Harvard, she turned their offer down so that she could go to the University of Albuquerque, where it was closer to her friends and family. Where it was closer to home.

4. Jack Bolton was the most conceited, arrogant and stupidest male she had ever met. And so what if he was good-looking and the most popular boy in college? He was a jerk who only thought about himself. It was in the last year of college did Lucille start to notice that Jack was not such a bad guy. He turned out to be nice (when he wanted to) and he was a loyal friend. It was also then did her heart start beating faster every time she was with him. To say she was ecstatic when Jack asked her out would be an understatement.

5. She was confused when Blake Masters came back into her life. She had just graduated from college and she was happy with Jack. The other thing was that Blake was no longer the boy she thought she loved. She never loved him in the first place. Lucille made herself be polite to him. After all, there were no hard feelings, and she could see that her parents were trying their best not to throw something at Blake.

6. She knew she loved Jack the moment he left without a word after graduation. Yes, she was not proud of the way she found out where her boyfriend was (she had threatened to shave off Clay Danforth's hair), but it had gotten the job done. She had cursed him so much. How dare he choose for her? And how dare he choose Blake? And so, she took the first plane she could get on and arrived at his doorsteps just three days after graduation. She kissed him full on his lips, hoping that he would know that she loved him and only him.

7. Her wedding day and Troy's birth day were the happiest day of her life. On her wedding day, Jack had vowed to stand by her no matter what and she knew he meant every single thing he said. And on Troy's birth day, her beautiful baby boy was born into the world. He was hers and Jack's and she would love him so much no other girl would be able to give her son the love she gave him.

8. She was worried that basketball would always be on Troy's mind. She was also worried about the girls who had ridiculous crushes on her son. They were annoying and unworthy of Troy's love or attention.

9. She loved Gabriella Montez the moment Jack told her about how Troy was singing instead of playing basketball. Of course, her husband had been angry and had disliked the girl and that made Lucille like Gabriella even more. Basketball had been Troy's life for too long. It was time for something new. And though it made her a little sad that her baby boy was growing up, she was glad that he had found someone who was actually worthy of him.

10. She had always loved Chad Danforth like a second son. And even after he got married, he regarded her his second mother and his kids regarded her as their second grandmother. She freaked Chad out with predictions of his son falling in love with Ryan's daughter and laughed when it came true. She comforted Troy and Gabriella when they freaked out about their children growing up too fast. She laid her head against her husband's chest as they sat on the front porch, looking at their son and his gang of friends laughing while the kids gathered and had fun. It was a pleasant picture. And to her final days, it was the last memory she remembered before her eyes closed for good.

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**A/N: Review! And seriously, I am running out of characters! I might start doing one-shots linking to the little things though... They'll be uploaded into this story, Ten little Things... What do you guys think? Please tell me... **


	14. Troyella

**A/N: Hey guys! I decided to skip doing the Jimmie Z, Tiara and Donny D for the mean time because I didn't really feel connected to them as I did to the other characters… Stupid reason, yeah, but I've been meaning to write the next few chapters so bear with me, yeah? And my sincerest apologies to those of you who like the three characters I previously mentioned… **

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**Troyella**

1. Their journey started on the night of New Years' Eve in 2005. Though neither of them knew it then, they were both about to embark on the wildest, craziest and happiest times of their lives. It was years later did they realize the significance of the resort where they had met and it was that same resort that became their wedding venue and their favorite vacation place.

2. Gabriella had never felt so hurt when she heard Troy saying that she was unimportant and Troy had never knew that saying those words would be so hard to say until he actually said it. Neither had also never been angrier with their friends when they found out about their plans. They felt betrayed, hurt and angry that they had been fooled by their own people. But they felt so much better, so much happier, when they finally made up and it pleased them that their friends were with them. Through good times and bad.

3. It was Gabriella who had noticed the change in Troy during the summer way before anyone did. She had never been more scared for their relationship at that point of time. What if Troy realized that Sharpay was better than her? That Sharpay was richer, more beautiful than her and could actually help him go far in life? It wasn't until after they made up did she confront him about her fears. She would never forget the way he had looked at her with so much love and had said,

"You are the most beautiful girl in the world, Gabriella. And no other girl, no matter how rich or famous she is, could ever replace you."

Sure, it was cheesy, but hey, he had meant it.

4. Although Troy had never admitted it to anyone but his son, a selfish part of him had wanted Gabriella to stay with him and not go to Stamford. A selfish part of him wanted her to always be by his side and not be many miles away from him. But the part of him that loved her too much, the part of him that gave him the strength and hope that Gabriella would always be there for him, enabled him to help her make the right choice. And both he and Gabriella were proud of him for doing so.

5. The hardest time of their relationship was during their college period. Yes, their colleges were close and yes, they saw each other more than Chad and Taylor or Zeke and Sharpay saw each other, but it was still hard for they both kept fearing that the other would eventually find someone better than them. And though many people had not expected them to last (the 2 of them being one of the many people sometimes), they did.

6. Troy spent 2 months looking for the perfect ring in shopping malls but only got the perfect one from his mother. He knew it was the perfect ring the moment he looked at it. He could see it on Gabriella's finger and of her saying yes to him. And it was with Chad's, Ryan's, Zeke's and Jason's encouragement did he gather up the courage for Troyella to be the first engaged then married couple in their group of friends.

7. When their first baby was born, he reminded Gabriella so much of her deceased father. And though she had mentioned that she wanted her first-born named after her father only once before their wedding, Troy remembered it and suggested the name even before she had the time to think about it. Their first baby, Daniel Jack Bolton, had his mother's hair and his father's eyes. He was a beautiful baby boy.

8. They were always proud of how they raised their children. Their children cared about each other no matter how much they argued and they were protective of one another. Daniel Jack, Elizabeth Faith, Bradley Chad, Nathaniel Jason and Andrea Kelsi were each named after someone important to their parents and they loved them for it. For though many people had weird, yet extravagant, names (mainly Sharpay's and Zeke's kids), theirs were normal but beautiful names. It was also their close bond and relationship did the world and people around them envy.

9. Their daughter, Elizabeth Faith Bolton, was the first one to get married. And both of them had freaked out about their children growing up too fast. At that time, their youngest child was already 13. It was Lucille, Jack and Maria who had talked to them and calmed them down and told them that they should be pretty darn proud of their children. Yes, they were growing up, but they would forever be their babies.

10. Gabriella had died first at the age of 76. She had been sleeping beside her husband when death finally claimed her. And though Troy was distraught, he had his family and friends to help him through his time without her in hopes of seeing her again soon. And Troy did. A year later, he was found on the same bed Gabriella had died with the picture of his beloved in his hands, his eyes fluttered close and he was no longer breathing. He did, however, have a tender smile on his face.

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**A/N: Review!**


	15. Chaylor

**Chaylor**

1. They had completely ignored each other since elementary school. Taylor was smart and only associated with her smart friends while Chad associated only with his basketball team members. And when they got to high school, their ignorance of each other turned into one of hatred when the cliques in East High set them apart. And because it was a jock's job to torment the nerds, that was exactly what Chad did. What he didn't expect, however, was the nerd fighting back.

2. The fact that Gabriella and Troy were auditioning for the musical infuriated both Chad and Taylor. Chad because he felt that the musical would get in the way of Troy's basketball skills and that his best friend was associating with a nerd and Taylor because her newest friend was a genius and being associated with a lunkhead basketball boy or a musical would affect Gabriella's decision of being in the scholastic decathlon.

When Chad had suggested breaking them up, however, neither could deny the nagging feeling that they were doing something wrong. However, despite all of that, neither could deny the happiness they felt while working together.

3. It took Chad three tries to ask Taylor out. After debating the best way to ask her, all of which ended with the image of her saying no, he decided to go with being his usual cocky self. As she ran towards him, he caught her around her waist and loved the feeling of her in his arms. He was, surprised, however, that she had actually squealed and agreed to it. After all, wasn't it his cocky attitude that she had hated so much?

Taylor was ecstatic when the afro-haired teenager had asked her to the after-party. Before the championships and the musicals, she had feared that they would drift apart and just go back to their normal lives. The fact that she squealed when Chad asked her still disgusted her some times, especially since he was being his usual arrogant self. She did, however, decide that arrogance was something that could be toned down.

4. Sixteen was a very important number to them. They were 16 when they got together. The anniversary of their first date, first time and wedding were on the 16th of a certain month.

5. Many people had expected them not to last. Some of them even expected them to end way before Troyella. To say their schoolmates and everyone they knew, minus the Wildcat gang, had been shocked to find out that they had gotten together before Troy and Gabriella did was an understatement. People had even been taking bets on how long they would last with Chad's commitment issues. And when they proved to the world that neither of them were separating in a long while, their feelings for each other had actually got stronger.

6. It had been difficult for the first few months of their new relationship. For though their friends and Chad's family had approved of Chaylor, Taylor's father did not. He felt that Chad was undeserving of his daughter. After all, hadn't Taylor always said she hated him? So why was she suddenly dating this jock?

It took Chad three months to prove to Mr. McKessie that he was serious about Taylor. It had been the week before senior year in high school and Taylor had gotten sick. Chad had stayed by her side throughout the whole three days without leaving her room and for the next two days after she got better just to make sure she was okay. What had impressed Mr. McKessie, however, was the fact that Chad hadn't gone home even after being demanded to go home. He had glared at his girlfriends' father for the first time.

"I need to know that she is okay. And I'm staying, Mr. McKessie, whether you want me to or not. Because right now, your daughter means more to me than your approval."

7. They believed that the time that really tested their relationship was during their college period. What with their insecurities that the other would find someone better and Adam Murray. But they got through three years of college together and that was what really mattered.

8. Despite how romantic the other guys in the gang were, Chaylor always thought that the way they got engaged was the best and most romantic. Chad had everything planned and it was all to be perfect. Instead, Chad had ended up proposing to Taylor in her living room. And though that was far from anyone's view of a romantic proposal, the both of them always thought that it was perfect.

9. They had one daughter and one son together. And though theirs was a smaller family compared to the rest of the gang, they had always loved the fact that they were close and always there for one another.

10. Taylor was the first member of the gang to die. At the age of 73, she had passed away with Chad's arms loosely around her. And though many had expected Chad to leave not long after her, they were surprised when he lasted longer than expected. For although Taylor was gone, the love she had left around was still there and Chad found it hard to let go. When he finally did, however, he let go with a look of peace and happiness, 16 years after Taylor was gone.

**A/N: Review! And do you want me to do Zekepay or Ryelsi next?**


	16. Ryelsi

**Ryelsi**

1. Their journey started in high school. They had first met during the first drama club meeting and Kelsi became Ryan's first friend other than his sister. And though they both knew that Sharpay disapproved of their friendship, they pretended to be immune and ignorant of her. A few years after they got together, however, Ryan and Kelsi realized that their friendship had been the first step to their 'rebellion' against Sharpay.

2. They were proud to say that they were each other's firsts. They were each other's first love and first time. And though they weren't each other's first kiss, they were each other's first everything else.

3. Their first fight, unsurprisingly, had been about Sharpay.

4. Ryan had never been more horrified when he learnt that Kelsi had found out about him asking her to the prom because of Sharpay and Kelsi had never been more hurt. She couldn't look at him and he couldn't face her. When he finally could and tried talking to her, she wasn't ready. She had been horrified when Sharpay told her that the love of her life had not eaten anything for the past three days. Horrified, Kelsi had sprinted to Ryan's dormitory and had slapped him for hurting himself before kissing him with all her heart. Ryan had kissed her back, not realizing that they had a lot to talk about but knowing that everything between them was going to be alright.

5. Their engagement was an emotional and tough one since Ryan had a lot of people to ask their blessings from. Mainly Kelsi's parents and the rest of the Wildcat gang. He had troubles with her father at first but they managed to get over them. And so, as he stood on his knees with the ring on his hand in the centre of all the important people in their lives during the annual Wildcat barbeque, he knew that it was the perfect engagement.

6. Their wedding day was a fast but meaningful day to them. On that day, they were officially Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Evans. A name that sounded like music to their ears no matter how many times they heard it.

7. They had 5 children together. Amazingly, they had had a set of twins before a set of triplets. Poor Kelsi. They had a boy and a girl, Henry Derek and Isabella Kelly, before having their triplets three years later, Craig Brandon, Alan Mason and Sharlene Alyson. Each one of them were named after someone special to them and they loved their children.

8. Out of all of their children, it was only one of them, Sharlene, who had taken an interest in the piano. She was Daddy's Little Girl and Mommy's Little Playmaker. And though the others had interest in other type of things when Ryelsi hoped they'd be interested in music, they were always supported by their parents.

9. Ryan and Kelsi were the first one in the group to have been grandparents from their oldest boy, Henry.

10. Ryan had been the second of the Wildcats to die at the age of 74. He had had a heart attack while he was sleeping and when his wife tried waking him up the next morning, he never did. Kelsi was devastated and she could not have continued without him. Three months after Ryan died, Kelsi left too in the knowledge that her husband was waiting for her and that her family would be just fine.

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**A/N: Not my best but still... please review!**


	17. Zekepay

**Zekepay**

1. Sharpay didn't know until after high school but Zeke saved every text message she sent him before they became friends. Be it for him to stop calling her or to bake more cookies, he saved them and stored them in his phone, afraid that the messages would stop coming and the most recent one would be the last.

It was after the first year in college did Sharpay discover the messages. When asked why he saved them, he had no choice but to tell her the truth. It was then that she assured him that no matter what happened, she was determined to be in his life whether he wanted her to be or not. And so, she had helped him delete the saved messages and suddenly, his phone memory space was so much bigger.

2. Although it was unbeknown to them both until they started dating, it was their friends who had set them up. Ryan, Taylor, Kelsi and Gabriella had worked on Sharpay by trying to get her to realize that her feelings for Zeke was definitely outside friendly territory. Troy, Chad and Jason had helped Zeke get over his insecurities about how Sharpay would want someone better, someone richer and more talented than he was.

It was on the second date did they realize that Chad had forced the phone into Zeke's hands to call Sharpay with Troy, Chad, Taylor, Gabriella and Jason with him and Sharpay had answered the call with Ryan and Kelsi in the room.

3. A long-distance relationship was tough but it helped that they both had someone to talk to. When she heard about Chad and Taylor's temporary break-up, Sharpay was terrified that the same thing might happen to her and Zeke. She had called Zeke almost immediately after hearing about it and had freaked out about how the same thing would happen to them. Zeke had calmed her down with just a few simple sentences.

"As long as we are sure of our feelings, Sharpay, nothing is going to tear us apart. Chad and Taylor will soon realize that they're being stupid and that their love for each other is enough for them to overcome any obstacles in the way. It's the same way I feel about you. I love you, Sharpay. And nobody and nothing will ever change that."

It was the first time he had said he loved her. And she said it back almost immediately, almost finally accepting that Zeke was the one for her at that very moment even though she never knew why.

4. Sharpay's marriage proposal for Zeke was sudden. She had been caught up in the moment of accepting that Zeke was the right man for her that she just blurted her question out. She never regretted it though.

To say that Zeke had been shocked was an understatement but to say that he was pleased was another one. He'd sometimes felt that Sharpay thought she deserved better than him and her proposal meant that she was ready to accept him even with his imperfections. They eloped that very night.

5. The reactions of their families were pretty funny. The Baylors had been shocked at first. Zeke's mother and Aaron, his stepfather were at a loss for words before Priscilla had burst into tears and rushed forward to hug her son and new daughter-in-law to congratulate them and about having grandchildren. The thought of having grandchildren earlier than they planned made both Zeke and Sharpay cringe and Aaron had laughed at their faces before congratulating them himself. Priscilla and Aaron did, however, convince them to have a proper wedding where they could celebrate with their families and friends.

To break the news to her parents, Sharpay had marched into the family dining room where her parents, Ryan and Kelsi were having breakfast with Zeke's hand firmly clasped in hers. Her parents gaped at her while Ryan and Kelsi looked confused. When she announced that she was married, her father spit out his orange juice, her mother screamed, Ryan stared at her and Kelsi jumped up and down to congratulate her. It was ten minutes later that the questions came after they had all gotten over their shock.

6. They had their first child after a year of being married to one another. It was tough at first but they got through it together. Through their years together, they had three sons and a daughter; Priestley James, Carter Prince and the twins, Jason Gabriel (often called Gabriel to avoid confusion) and Marina Ashley. Their godson, Matthew John Cross was like one of their own and they took him in without a moment's hesitation when his father passed away.

7. By the time Priestley attended East High, Sharpay had joined the faculty as the assistant drama teacher and Zeke had owned a restaurant the second generation of Wildcats hung out at regularly.

8. Sharpay had freaked out when she had found out that her daughter had fallen for a West High student. She was aware of the rivalry between East High and West High and had been worried that her only daughter might get hurt. It was Gabriella who had calmed her down and told her that Marina was a sensible girl who knew what she was getting into.

Zeke, on the other hand, took a whole of two months to recover from the shock of his daughter liking then dating a West High Knight. He had almost forbade his daughter from seeing the West High scum but a simple, yet full force, glare from Sharpay stopped him from doing so. It was only after Marina had threatened to run away and elope with The Scum like he and Sharpay had done if he did not accept them did he finally calm down. He could have sworn that Sharpay was smiling proudly at her daughter that day.

Her brothers, on the other hand, was a different story.

9. Priestley had inherited his mother's passion for drama and Gabriel had inherited his father's passion for cooking. And even thought the rest of their children had developed interests of their own (Matt had become a fireman, Marina had been the youngest teacher in East High and Carter became a famous director), Sharpay and Zeke had always been proud of their accomplishment as good parents.

10. Sharpay left first at the age of 79 whilst she was sleeping. She left slowly and quietly without a dramatic exit. Three years later, Zeke passed away from pneumonia with the picture of him and his beloved held closely to his heart.

* * *

**A/N: Not my best but please review it still! :D **


	18. Mrs Montez

**Mrs. Maria Montez**

1. Maria Velasco had known Daniel Montez since she was four and he was six and they were the best of friends since their first meeting. For the next twelve years, that was all they were and they were both happy the way things were between them. And then Daniel left for college to become a man and Maria blossomed into a beautiful young lady during the time he was away. It was when he came back did she notice how much he had changed.

2. Daniel was more masculine than the last time she had seen him. His once shaggy long hair was cut short and he looked handsome. His beautiful brown eyes, now no longer covered by his hair, twinkled as he ran to hug her and Maria noticed, for the first time, that she fitted perfectly into his arms.

3. They only started dating when Maria turned 20. It took them 4 years to get together and by the time they finally had the courage to confess their attraction towards one another, their families were breathing sighs of exasperation and relief at the long wait for the start of their relationship.

4. They got married a year later in June and had their baby girl the next year in December. Maria fell in love with Gabriella the moment she set her eyes on her. Gabriella had her father's brown eyes that Maria loved so much. When Daniel passed away a decade later, it was those same eyes which caused a pang of sadness in her heart and the same eyes she could not look at for the next three months.

When her husband was diagnosed with brain tumor, Gabriella was 8, she was 30 and Daniel was 32. She spent the next two years going to and from the hospital for Daniel's treatments. In the most depressing of times, the one thing that Maria had felt absolutely blessed about, however, was the relationship between Daniel and Gabriella. No matter how sick or unwell Daniel was, he always made it a point to dance with their little girl whenever she was in need of a little laughter.

5. When Daniel passed away, she had turned down every bit of help that had been offered from her family. She had no job (having quit her previous one to attend to her husband), no money and a daughter to raise on her own. But she made it through anyway with the help of little notes and photos Daniel had made sure to leave her before he died.

6. She had felt guilty of depriving Gabriella of a normal childhood, what with moving every summer and her constant absence from her daughter's life because of her hectic work schedule. And then her company transferred her to Albuquerque. She found herself promising her daughter that it would be the last move until the end of high school without even confirming the truth behind her words. Gabriella's squeal of happiness and the big hug she gave Maria made the mother determined to make the transfer permanent. For a little while, Gabriella was the same kid she was when Daniel was still alive with her twinkling eyes and beautiful smile.

7. She had loved Troy the moment she met him at the door. The boy was polite, able to accept his mistakes and he made her Gabriella happy. Troy reminded Maria so much of Daniel she just had to accept him into hers and Gabriella's small family.

8. She'd always been proud of how smart Gabriella was. So, when her daughter suggested not going to Stanford, she had had a little panic attack before calming herself down. When she learnt that Troy had persuaded Gabriella to go for the early orientation, she had immediately known that Troy was the one and only for Gabriella. After all, the boy cared for her daughter and her future almost as much as her.

9. She'd given Gabriella away on her wedding day and it was one of the hardest things she had had to do in her life. She became a grandmother a year later and when Troyella named their first child after Daniel, she had hugged and planted kisses on both her daughter and son-in-law with stray tears down her cheeks.

10. She was a proud mother and grandmother. She doted on her grandchildren and told them stories of the adventures she and Daniel had when they were little and of the adventures Troy and Gabriella had. She was a grandmother her grandchildren loved unconditionally. So, when she passed away at the age of 81, she was missed most by them. What they remembered her by was a candid picture of a young Gabriella dancing in her father's arm and Maria stood at the porch, a smile of genuine happiness on her young face.

* * *

**A/N: Please review! I'm thinking of making oneshots next... In fact, I've already started... So, do you guys want it? Let me know in your review! :)**


	19. Appreciation

_Graduation 2008_

In all of her years as a teacher, Alyson Darbus had never been one of those teachers to mourn for the departure of her students to the real world. She clapped them on their backs and shook their hands to congratulate them. If she liked a particular class of students enough, she'd get a gift or two for them. Never, though, had she cried for her students. Until then.

She watched as Gabriella Montez hugged her mother and tears streamed down both their faces. Maria Montez said something that made Gabriella blush. The motherly pride in Maria was evident and Darbus found herself almost as proud of Gabriella as Maria was. She had liked young Gabriella the moment she walked into her class on the first day of high school. The girl was shy and unconfident at first but high school, or rather East High, had changed her. Gabriella Montez had blossomed into a beautiful, confident and ambitious youth. Darbus liked to think that she had a part to play in Gabriella's developed self esteem.

Troy Bolton was standing not too far away with his own mother, his shaggy brown hair all over his face while his blue eyes shone with emotions Darbus herself was feeling though for different reasons. Happiness for the completion of high school yet sadness for leaving. Relief that Gabriella was going to be with him yet sorrow that Chad won't be. Darbus was confident that Troy would understand, or probably already had, that getting everything he wanted in life was not going to happen. He'd learn that true friends would always be with him as would true love. Darbus had a strong feeling that Bolton and Danforth would be seen at the reunion ten years from then, still best friends.

Ryan Evans and Kelsi Nielson were sat on the benches, the smiles on their faces large and wide as they stole sweet kisses when they thought no one was looking while discussing their future in Julliard together. They were another couple Darbus was sure would be attending the reunion together. Ryan's sister, Sharpay, sat not too far from them, her eyes glazed with tears as she stared into nothing, her hands supporting her head and her lap supporting her hands. Darbus sighed. High school had been Sharpay's comfort zone and now that she was being taken out of it, Darbus knew she was going to have problems adjusting to the real world. Alas, Sharpay had a loving family despite the way she acted and Darbus knew she'd soon learn that there were more important things in life other than money or drama.

Taylor McKessie and Martha Cox were hugging each other, their eyes glazed with shed tears. Taylor had been Martha's first friend and Darbus had always like McKessie for judging people on their character and not by the way one looked.

Chad Danforth, Zeke Baylor and Jason Cross were goofing off on stage and Darbus found herself smiling at the usual sight. Out of all her graduating students, those were three boys who had managed to mature over the years, yet still hang on to youthful innocence and mischief.

Danforth had always been immature and childish (and he probably would be for as long as he lived) but his ego had deteriorated and he had learnt that his happiness need not necessarily mean other people's happiness. Darbus was certain that McKessie had something to do with it.

Baylor was still more reserved when asked to interact with others but he fully became himself around his friends. He was the matured one among their group and his wisdom kept his group of friends grounded. Darbus smiled to herself as Zeke and Sharpay shared a small smile. She would not be surprised if they ended up together during the reunion.

Jason, however, was the student she was most worried about. The boy was naïve and a little slow sometimes. Alas, Darbus had a nagging feeling at the pit of her stomach that Jason was going to be fine. It hurt that she knew she was not going to be able to help him in his life after high school. She had never felt that way about any of her students and frankly, it scared her that she was getting too attached.

Hot tears sprang into her eyes as she observed her favorite students in all her years of teaching, a proud smile on her face. She felt like a mother who was letting her children go off to the real world, afraid that they might get hurt, yet confident that they would do well.

"A look of compassion on Alyson Darbus' face? I must be dreaming!" an irritatingly familiar voice teased and Darbus rolled her eyes, wiped the tears that had managed to escape her eyes and put her hands on her hips before turning to glare at Jack Bolton.

"What do you want, Bolton?" she hissed, ready to argue with him as she always was. Jack rolled his eyes, used to her reactions towards him. He turned to look at his son, who had by then joined his friends on stage. Even Gabriella had managed to get away from her mother and she and Taylor were laughing at their boyfriends and friends' childish behaviour. Martha was nowhere to be seen and from the corner of his eye, Jack noticed Ryan, Kelsi and Sharpay walking towards the group.

"It's hard, isn't it? Letting them go?" he asked softly, turning back to face his colleague.

Darbus' glare softened and she gulped, trying hard to hold back tears that were once more threatening to spill. Her voice trembled as she answered. "I've never loved a class of students like I've loved them. They are rare jewels, aren't they?"

"Yep. They definitely are," Jack grinned proudly. Their conversation continued on how the students had matured from the first day of high school and their future. Conversation between the two adults seized when both Darbus and Jack were tapped on their backs by Troy and Chad. Both teenagers grabbed both teachers by their arms and led them to two chairs that had been positioned in front of the stage.

"Bolton! Danforth! What is the meaning of this?" the blonde drama teacher growled, feeling a sense of déjà vu as though they were in the classroom once again. Behind Chad and Troy, Ryan, Kelsi, Zeke, Sharpay, Jason, Gabriella, Taylor and the other students of their class stood around them. Darbus looked at Jack for some sort of explanation if he had one but the basketball coach just shrugged and winked at her.

"We have something for both of you," Chad announced and the students grinned as Chad handed Darbus a colorful album while Troy handed Jack a white and red album. The older Bolton raised his eyebrows at his son but Troy just grinned at him.

"We made these for the both of you," Ryan explained as Darbus and Jack opened their albums. "It's a collection of photos we managed to snap in our time at East High with the both of you. It's our appreciation for everything you've done for us."

"Yeah, for your guidance," Gabriella added.

"For being a good drama teacher," Sharpay smiled softly.

"For always believing in me," Kelsi hugged Darbus, startling the older woman.

"For letting us make our own mistakes," Taylor laughed.

"For encouraging us to break the status quo," Zeke high-fived his basketball coach.

"For getting us to realize the important things in life," Chad's eyes twinkled as he eyed Taylor.

"For being tough on us when we needed the special push," Troy grinned cheekily at his father.

And the list went on from every other student in her class. This time, Darbus didn't bother to hold in her tears as she set them free in pride and happiness for her students. Finally, it was Jason's turn. He smiled softly at both of them.

"For never giving up on us no matter how hopeless we may seem to be."

At his sentence, Chad handed over an orange basketball with black signatures of not only the entire basketball team but the whole graduating class to Jack and Jason handed Darbus a white orb with similar signatures on it.

Not able to handle it any longer, Jack and Darbus outstretched their arms and almost immediately, they were both engulfed in a giant group hug. When they finally pulled away, however, Chad screamed his favorite lines for the last time as a student of East High.

"WHAT TEAM?"

"WILDCATS!"

"WHAT TEAM?"

"WILDCATS!"

"ONCE A WILDCAT?"

"ALWAYS A WILDCAT!"

* * *

**A/N: Do you think I should continue this? Or should I just stop here? Review!**


	20. Perfect

"That is definitely not the ring for Gabi, Chad," Troy rolled his eyes as Chad held up a tacky Hello Kitty diamond ring. The afro-haired college student sighed as he looked pointedly at Zeke, Ryan and Jason for help. They had been at the shopping mall for almost two hours and neither or them had eaten since arriving. They were all getting moody and restless as Troy scanned the jewelry store one last time. He let out a long breath of disappointment before shaking his head. His four friends groaned as they followed after him.

"Troy, c'mon! We've been here for hours! It's _the mall_," Chad made a disgusted face at his mention of their location. In front of him, Zeke and Troy rolled their eyes while Ryan and Jason just nodded in agreement with Chad.

"I am asking Gabriella to marry me, Chad. Everything has to be perfect. Especially the ring."

"Well, one thing's for sure," Ryan deduced and the other four raised their eyebrows at him. He waved his hands dramatically around his head. "You ain't going to find Gabriella a ring here, Romeo."

Jason looked confused for a moment. "His name is Troy, Ryan." His statement was met by a few groans. Knowing he had missed something, Jason shrugged and continued, "Ryan's right. We've been here for three days, Troy. If you haven't found one you like here since the time we arrived, I doubt you're going to find one you'll like now."

"You're right, Jase," the dirty-blonde haired man grumbled. He looked away from the jewelry store one last time only to find his friends already walking towards the exit of the mall. His eyes lit up as he spotted something across the street. "Let's try that store across this mall, shall we?"

His request was met by more groans.

* * *

Lucille Bolton had never seen her son so nervous or occupied before. Sure, he had been nervous for his first game, occupied with the thoughts of leaving high school but never had she seen Troy so nervous and distracted that he started pacing behind her and Jack while they were sitting on the couch. She shared a confused look with her spouse before trying to stop her son from burning a hole through the carpet.

"Honey?" Blue eyes met brown as she spoke. "Want to tell me and your father what's going on?" she asked concernedly and glared at Troy when he looked like he was uncertain on whether he should tell her or not. The youngest Bolton gulped before going to stand in front of his parents.

Nervously, he announced, "I'm going to ask Gabriella to marry me."

A proud smile split onto her aged face and Lucille jumped from the couch to hug her son, congratulating him as she planted kisses on his face. She had liked Gabriella the moment she had heard her husband and son talking about her, even if the things they had said about her were negative on one side and positive on the other for a while. Troy did little to stop her and he grinned as he hugged her back, not aware of the emotions his father was experiencing for a while.

Jack gulped and blinked. His son was going to ask Gabriella Montez to marry him. Jack had not liked Gabriella when she had first arrived at East High but his dislike for her had changed into one of fatherly affection once Troy had started dating her. She was a positive influence in his sons' life and Jack had realized a long time ago that Gabriella was Troy's Lucille. But if he had known of their fate so long ago, then why was did his stomach hurt at the thought of his son getting engaged?

Because he felt like he was losing his son. Again.

"Dad?"

The worried expression on Troy's face melted away any unpleasant feeling Jack was experiencing. Gabriella might have been Troy's soul mate but Jack was his father and Troy would forever want his approval. Jack smiled softly as he stood up and clapped his son on the back.

"Sure she's not too good for you?" Jack teased his son. Troy narrowed his eyes at his father playfully, having gotten over his insecurity when things involved Gabriella a long time ago.

"You mean like how Mom's way out of your league too?"

Lucille let out a hearty laugh.

* * *

  
That night, Troy sneaked into his parents' room while his father and friends crowded in the living room to catch a game together, something they had been doing since high school and hadn't stopped. His mother was on the bed, going through a photo album.

Upon hearing her bedroom door creak open, she looked up and smiled when Troy joined her on the bed. The two Boltons sat there for a while, looking through pictures of their days as a family together in comfortable silence, something they both hadn't done in a while. Both mother and son knew that talking would just distract them from their journey down memory lane.

Twenty minutes later, Troy was helping Lucille put away the albums.

"Hey Mom?" Lucille turned around and raised her eyebrows at her son. Troy raised up two pictures. "Do you mind if I keep these?"

Lucille shook her head, smiling at the pictures Troy had chosen.

One was a photo of the Wildcat gang together a day before graduation. Troy had his arms around Gabriella's waist and they were both smiling happily at one another. Chad and Taylor stood beside them on their left, Chad's arms protectively around his girlfriend's shoulders and Taylor was leaning her head comfortably on the afro-haired teenager's chest. On the right of Troyella, Ryan stood in the middle of Sharpay and Kelsi, the two most important girls in his life. His hand was interlocked with Kelsi and both him and the petite composer were looking at each other lovingly. His other arm was linked with Sharpay. The female blonde twin had her other arm linked to Zeke who looked pleased yet surprised. Jason and Martha stood right at the end, smiles on their faces.

The other picture was one of just the Boltons and Montez ladies. It had been their first family dinner together. Lucille's eyes stranded to the image of Troy and Gabriella's interlocked hands and smiled at how they fitted perfectly well together. Noticing his mother's view was particularly on Gabriella and him, Troy gulped as his insecurities over asking Gabriella to marry him consumed him once again despite the fact that Lucille was smiling.

He had vowed that he would only ask Gabriella to marry him when he got the blessings of everyone who was important to Gabriella and him. It was what he wanted and what Gabriella would have wanted to. And so far, he had gotten only his parents and the gang's blessings. What if his mother was having second thoughts?

"Mom?" his eyes shone with worry and Lucille looked confused for a moment. "You're okay with this, right? With me asking Gabriella to marry me? I mean you like her enough, right?"

Lucille laughed, relieved that her son still thought her opinion important. "Troy, I loved Gabriella and accepted her when you and your father started talking about how much she changed you. I know how happy she makes you."

Troy let out a sigh of relief and wrapped his mother into a tight hug. Lucille buried her head into his shoulder as tears swarmed her eyes. Her baby boy was getting married. Sure, he hadn't even asked his girlfriend yet but Lucille was absolutely certain of Gabriella's answer.

Finally, they let go and Troy brushed away the remaining tears on Lucille's face gently with his thumb.

"Have you gotten the perfect ring yet?"

"No," the younger Bolton ran his hands through his hair and a grimace crossed his face as he remembered his fruitless trips to the many malls he and his friends had gone to and the dates he had missed with Gabriella.

Lucille chuckled and took a blue velvet box out of her pocket and handed it to her son. She watched as his blue eyes widened and his breath hitched in his throat. "Breath, son."

"It's…"

Perfect. Absolutely perfect. The diamond on the silver wasn't too big, nor was it too small on the silver band that Troy knew would fit Gabriella's finger.

Troy hugged his mother one more time.

"Thanks, Mom."

* * *

Maria Montez had always liked Troy Bolton. He was polite, caring and respectful and he loved her daughter with all of his heart. He always put the people he loved before him, an action that made Gabriella love and worry about him more. So, when he came asking for her daughter's hand in marriage a few hours ago, Maria had squealed and hugged him to tell him that he had her blessings.

It had pleased her that he had asked for her permission. Daniel would have approved of Troy and Maria was certain that her late husband would have even given Troy suggestions on how to propose. Troy made their daughter cry, smile and laugh. He was always there for her no matter how busy he was himself. Yes, Gabriella was definitely going to be happy with Troy.

* * *

  
Three days later, the former Wildcats and their families gathered at the Bolton household to have their annual summer barbeque, a tradition they started the summer before graduation. For the whole day, the girls had acted upset with the boys and their glares were mainly aimed at Troy.

The guys watched as the girls pushed Gabriella out of the group and towards them.

"You're hiding something from me, Wildcat, and I want to know what."

Troy's eyes widened at Gabriella's unexpected confrontation. Movement around them stopped as she raised her eyebrows at him and Troy gulped. He reached his right hand into his pants pocket and resisted sighing in relief when he felt the texture of the soft velvet box.

"He's not cheating on you, if that's what you mean!"

Troy groaned at Chad's defensive outburst and Gabriella looked at him with in panic.

"You're cheating on me?!"

"Of course he's not, Gabriella," Zeke smiled softly at her before nodding at Troy. Beside him, Ryan and Jason mimicked his actions before hitting Chad on his head together. Sharpay, Taylor and Kelsi watched on in confusion.

Placing a tender hand on her cheek to calm her down, Troy grinned at her as he slowly went down on one knee, only aware of Gabriella's reaction and not of the surprised gasps and squeals the other girls had emitted. Slowly, he took the velvet box out of his pocket and held it out to her.

"I was supposed to take you to a fancy restaurant but I guess this will do," he shrugged and Gabriella's brown eyes shone with love and tears for the man in front of her.

"Troy…"

But he wasn't going to let her speak. "I love you, Gabriella Montez. And I will always love you. That's all I need to say before I ask you something, alright?" he looked at her and she just nodded mutely as he opened the velvet box to reveal the ring. "Will you marry me?"

She gave him the smile she wore only for him. "Yes."

Troy grinned and slipped the ring onto her finger.

"I love you too, Troy." She pressed her lips against his in a gentle kiss as their friends and parents cheered and celebrated around them. Troyella wrapped their arms around each other once they broke apart and looked on as the people they loved celebrated with them. The proposal was perfect.

**A/N: Definitely not my best but please still review! I'm doing the proposals now so which couple do you want next? (: **


	21. Approval

Kendra Nielson had liked the sound of Ryan Evans the moment she heard about him. The young man made her daughter cry, smile and laugh. Every time Kelsi talked about him, her eyes twinkled in happiness and she chatted merrily about him for hours. When Kendra finally met Ryan, she had loved him like her own. He was everything Kelsi had told her he was and he was perfect for her daughter. It was just too bad her husband did not share her point of view.

Keith Nielson had hated the sound of Ryan Evans the moment he had heard about him. Ryan's sister was a pain in the butt and he could not stand up to his own sister. He had made Kelsi cry with his actions during the first year of high school when he and his sister tried to sabotage Kelsi and her friends. And what Keith hated most was that Kelsi had accepted Ryan the moment he stood up to his sister so readily even after everything he had done to her.

And so, no one, but Ryan himself, was surprised that when Ryan had come over to ask for the Nielson's blessings to ask Kelsi to marry him, Kendra had given hers immediately while Keith's answer had been –

"No."

Ryan blinked. "No?"

"No. You do not have my blessings to marry my daughter," Keith had answered calmly all the while fighting the temptation to punch the blonde man in front of him. Ryan seemed to be struggling with his rejection before nervousness left his façade and determination settled upon his face.

"May I ask why, sir?" he asked politely.

"You, Ryan Evans, are not good enough for my daughter."

"Keith!" Kendra shrieked and looked at Ryan in panic. Ryan shook his head softly at her, as if assuring her that he was not going anywhere, before turning back to face his girlfriend's father.

"In my opinion, Mr. Nielson, nobody is good enough for Kelsi. I'll give you that," Ryan said, his heart thumping wildly. He wanted Mr. Nielson's permission. Ryan respected the man for the love he had for Kendra and Kelsi, for always being there for Kelsi and for always standing up to those who posed as a threat towards the two most important people in his life. What Ryan wanted Keith to know was that he was ready to be all those things to Kelsi too. "But nobody will love her more than me."

Keith narrowed his eyes at Ryan. _He_ loved his daughter more than the drama freak did.

"You never stood up for Kelsi when your sister was bullying her," he pointed up his thumb as though that was the first thing of wrongs Ryan did on his list. "You almost destroyed Kelsi's chances of being in the school play just because your sister wanted the glory," the second finger came up while Ryan and Kendra watched on. "You asked my daughter to prom just because your sister told you to," his middle finger came out and Keith glared at Ryan while Kendra rolled her eyes. "I'm seeing a certain similarity here, Evans."

"In my defense, Mr. Nielson, those events happened during high school. I was young and the thought of standing up to my sister never occurred to me until your daughter came into my life. No, please, let me finish," Ryan held up his hand to stop anything Mr. Nielson was about to say. Beside Keith, Kendra smiled encouragingly at Ryan.

"I'd always been fine with Sharpay being in the spotlight while I stood behind and watched her shine. I'd never minded that she was mean to people because she was always nice to me. Sharpay is my sister and she was my best friend. And then your daughter came into my life and everything changed. I started minding a lot of things my sister did. I hated it when she snapped at Kelsi when Kelsi didn't deserve it. I hated it when she demanded that Kelsi stay back late just so she could practice. I hated it when she never noticed the tears in your daughter's eyes every time she got too harsh. I'm sure you're seeing a certain similarity there, Mr. Nielson," the blonde man chuckled.

"What guarantee do I have that Kelsi comes first in your life?"

"Kelsi became the first girl in my life the moment she became my first true friend. She's the reason I had the courage to stand up to Sharpay, sir. I have to admit that my sister comes a very close second, though."

"Even after everything she's done to you?" Mr. Nielson asked, still not convinced.

"Sharpay is my twin, sir. I'll always love her. And besides, she's different now. It's easier to love this Sharpay than the one in high school. Kelsi and her are quite close now."

Mr. Nielson stood up and so did Ryan. Holding out his hand for a handshake, Ryan smiled, shook hands with his future father-in-law and almost gasped in pain when the older man squeezed his hand tightly.

"Hurt her and I'll kill you," Keith warned him. Ryan nodded and Keith's grasp loosened before vulnerability crossed his face. "Please take care of my baby girl."

"Always, Mr. Nielson."

Kendra, who had been quiet the whole time, squealed and hugged Ryan.

"Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Kendra. So," Ryan turned back to Keith and smiled cheekily. "Does this mean I can call you 'Keith' now?"

"Don't push it, Evans."

* * *

"Hurt her and we'll kill you, Ryan. She's our baby sister," Troy warned him as Chad, Jason and Zeke nodded their heads in agreement. Ryan repressed the urge to roll his eyes. Seriously! What was the point of that threat when Ryan would rather kill himself before anyone did if he hurt Kelsi?

* * *

  
"I'm going to ask Kelsi to marry me."

His sister's excited squeal rang through his ears and Ryan jerked his phone away as a happy grin spread across his face slowly.

Well, at least he had no problems getting his sister's approval and at least she didn't faint. Ryan cringed at the memory of his mother's reaction to him asking Kelsi to marry him. Yep, if she said yes, Kelsi was going to have to prepare herself for a whole lot of drama.

* * *

"So, when are you going to ask her?"

"After I've gotten her a ring, Chad."

"Right. And when would that be?"

"When I find one!"

"What about this one?"

Ryan rolled his eyes at the tacky Hello Kitty ring Chad had picked up. "Gabriella would have killed Troy if he had gotten her that ring, Chad, and Kelsi and Sharpay would kill me."

"C'mon, Ryan! We've been here for hours!"

"Déjà vu, much?" Troy chuckled. Ryan rolled his eyes once again.

He absolutely had no idea as to why he even thought of bringing Chad and Troy along with him to pick out his ring for Kelsi. They were the most uncooperative and tiresome people in the world. Well, Chad was, anyway. Troy was Troy and he was still in a daze from his engagement the month before.

Ryan watched on as Troy and Chad goofed around with the pieces of jewelry they could get their hands on and almost groaned when they acted as a gay couple shopping for wedding rings. If Ryan hadn't been so stressed about getting the right ring for Kelsi, he might have been amused and joined in.

"Would you two stop fooling around and just help me find a proper engagement ring for the love of my life, please?" he asked through gritted teeth and Troy and Chad shrugged. Troy handed the ring he was holding back to the salesman and Chad did the same.

"Ryan, just chillax, alright? You'll find the perfect ring, man. You just got to be patient,"

Troy tried assuring him and Ryan just nodded.

"Hey, Ryan, what about this one?" Chad patted him on the back. Ryan braced himself for another atrocious horrible looking ring.

"Chad, it's – "

He stopped short and felt his heart beat a million times faster. Gently, he took the ring from Chad and examined it. The white gold diamond ring glittered in the light and Ryan heard Kelsi's melodious laugh, pictured her lips quirking into a beautiful smile and saw her accepting his proposal as her eyes glistened with happy tears. That was it. That was _the ring_.

He turned to Chad and Troy and suddenly felt immensely grateful to them.

"This is it. This is the ring," he said softly.

"Go get it, then," Troy smiled at him comfortingly and Chad nodded in agreement.

As Ryan paid for _the ring_, he could not help but appreciate the day Gabriella Montex stepped into East High. She broke the status quo and brought the gang together. She was the reason Chad and Troy were almost like his brothers – now more than ever since they helped him find the ring – and she was the reason Kelsi was his.

He had it perfectly planned. He was going to bring her to an expensive Italian restaurant and at the end of their meal, he was going to ask her. It was too bad his sister had other plans.

* * *

"Kelsi dear, I don't see you wearing the ring Ryan bought you. Is there something wrong with it?" his sister had asked concernedly. In front of her, Kelsi looked at her in confusion while the members of the Wildcat gang who had heard her either shot Ryan looks of sympathy, groaned or just stared the them. The parents looked bewildered except for his parents who looked like amused and Keith and Kendra, the former who had crushed his plastic cup and the latter who had a big smile on her face.

"Ryan didn't give me any ring, Sharpay," Kelsi tried correcting her boyfriend's sister politely.

"He proposed to you without a ring?"

The cup Kelsi was holding slipped from her small hands and all eyes turned to her as she turned to Ryan, her eyes wide and questioning. Behind Kelsi, a small smirk slowly spread across Sharpay's face and Ryan resisted the urge to narrow his eyes at his twin. She'd planned the 'slip'!

Ryan cursed inwardly. Digging his hand into his pocket, he let out a sigh of relief when he felt the small box. His green eyes never leaving Kelsi's face, he slowly got down on one knee and held the small velvet box out to her.

Kelsi could not remember feeling so nervous before as Ryan got down on one knee and held out the velvet box to her.

"I was supposed to ask you in a less crowded environment but apparently someone had other plans," he had glared at Sharpay as he said that and Kelsi found herself smiling at the close bond between the twins. "Kelsi, I love you so much. You've always been there for me and I want to be there for you now. I want to be the man your father is to Kendra, the my dad is to my mom and the man Troy is to Gabriella. I want to always be the reason you smile cause you're the reason I do."

Tears swarmed her eyes and all Kelsi saw was Ryan. Her Ryan. The man who made her laugh and cry. The man who made her curse and made her feel blessed. Ryan was the man she loved and cherished. She wanted to be his Kelsi.

"I loved you in high school, I love you now and I always will, Kelsi Nielson. Will you please do me the favor of being my wife and making me the happiest man on earth?

She nodded, too overwhelmed to say anything and laughed happily as Ryan slipped the ring onto her finger before they shared a passionate and tender kiss.

"Now, wasn't that a better proposal then the cheesy one you had planned?" Sharpay grinned.

Ryan just narrowed his eyes at her and growled, "Run."

The gang laughed as Sharpay let out a shriek before taking off and running around the backyard at a surprisingly fast speed, Ryan hot on her heels. Mr. and Mrs. Evans joined in the chase not long after although no one knew if they were joining or stopping their children.

"You sure about this, darling? You're marrying into a family of weirdos," Keith Nielson asked worriedly as he put an arm around his petite daughter. Kelsi laughed.

"I'll be fine, Dad. They'll be _my_ family of weirdos."

* * *

**A/N: Please review and tell me which couple I should do next! Chaylor or Zekepay?**


	22. Always

**This chapter is dedicated to those who reviewed the last chapter. I love you guys! :D**

**Many thanks to:**

**pinkwildcat94 – Here's one for you!**

**digigirl02 – I'm sorry that Chaylor is not getting engaged in this chapter but rest assured they will be in the next one! **

**erfan18 – This chapter's for you and girlpower8900!**

**krfan – I just love Ryelsi! Here's the next chapter! **

**girlpower8900 – This chapter's for you and erfan18!**

**Singerforever113 – Chaylor will be next! I promise! Right now, Zeke and Sharpay are totally on my mind as the time of their engagement was exactly after Ryelsi's.

* * *

**

"You eloped?"

"Yes."

"You eloped?"

"Yes, Dad."

"You eloped?"

"Oh, for goodness sake, Derek! Yes, they eloped!"

"B- but! SHARPAY MARGERET EVANS!"

All hell broke loose in the Evans' household the moment her father started screaming. While Sharpay Baylor nee Evans had a strong urge to correct her father on her new name, she kept mum and held her new husbands' hand tighter as Derek Evans continued shouting at his daughter and Charlotte Evans screamed at her husband to stop shouting.

The glare Ryan had been giving her before she announced her marriage was replaced by an expression of pure shock while Kelsi sat herself beside Sharpay and Zeke to offer comfort should it be needed.

Okay, so Sharpay could admit that she shouldn't have just stomped into the room and shouted at the top of her lungs that she was married. And maybe, she shouldn't have made her father spit out his orange juice, her mother faint and her brother fall out of his chair. And maybe, just maybe, she shouldn't have sarcastically remarked that she was pregnant when asked by her brother the sudden reason for her elopement. But hey, she was Sharpay Baylor, wife of Zeke Baylor, sister of Ryan Evans and President of East High's drama club since the day she joined the school. So it really wasn't her fault that she tended to make simple things look overly dramatic.

"Why?"

Sharpay frowned at her brother. "Why what?"

"Why did you suddenly decide to elope and get married? Just a week ago, you said so yourself that you weren't ready."

Sharpay inwardly flinched and groaned when she felt Zeke's hand slip away from hers slowly and she watched as insecurity took over her husband. She narrowed her eyes dangerously at her brother and felt a sense of satisfaction when Ryan gulped.

"It's actually thanks to you and Kelsi," she said through gritted teeth and Ryan and Kelsi listened on for details of her marriage while Zeke listened on to make sure that their marriage was not a mistake.

* * *

"Sharpay, are you okay?"

Her future sister-in-law's question brought her out of her daze and for the first time in a while, Sharpay took the time to analyze Kelsi and only came to one conclusion.

"You're not good enough for him."

Kelsi blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You're not good enough for him!" Sharpay shrieked as she got up from her seat, ignoring the fact that Ryan and Zeke were walking towards her and Kelsi with looks of concern etched on their face.

"What's going on?"

"You guys can't get married!"

Ryan looked at his sister in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

Anger clouded her heart when Kelsi slipped her hand into Ryan's to comfort him. The small, unconfident and untalented composer marry her brother?

"You heard me!"

"If I remember correctly, Sharpay, you were squealing so loudly the people in China could've heard you when I told you I was proposing to Kelsi. You even set me up to propose to her today. What's with the sudden change of heart?" Ryan glared at her, hurt etched on his face at her sudden reaction.

"Her father is a policeman, Ryan! Her mother is a housewife! She's not fit to be an Evans!" Panic gripped her tight. Why was she saying these things? Kelsi was her friend. She had loved the idea of having Kelsi as her sister-in-law so why was she suddenly so reluctant of the idea of her brother getting married to the composer?

"I don't care! It's never mattered to me before and it never will! What the hell is your problem?"

"I told you! She's not good enough for you!"

"I'm not good enough for her! You know, I'm starting to understand why Mr. Nielson was reluctant to give me his approval." Kelsi shot him a surprised look that both siblings promptly ignored. "You're the reason we'll never be happy together! You're the reason I've always hurt her! Well, guess what? You are not getting in the way of my happiness this time, Sharpay! Kelsi and I love each other and we are going to get married whether you like it or not."

Ryan grabbed Kelsi's hand gently, despite the anger he was feeling, and together, he stomped out of the yard with her. Kelsi gave both Zeke and Sharpay apologetic looks before she disappeared behind her fiancé.

Tears threatened to spill from her green eyes, the very same she shared with her brother, and she blindly looked for something to sit down on before just settling down on the ground. A pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her and she looked up to Zeke. He gave her a smile, one only for her, to all her tears out. And she did. Because with Zeke, she need not worry about appearing weak.

When her tears had finally subsided, she wiped her eyes and gave him a shaky smile. "I don't know why I did that."

"You sure about that?" he asked her softly, his arms still wrapped tightly around her, his face still a close proximity to hers since he knew that little action of kissing her on her forehead calmed her down slightly. "You want to know what I think?"

She nodded.

"I think you're still jealous of Kelsi."

Sharpay scoffed. "Still? I have never been jealous of her, Zeke."

"Really?"

"Of course. I mean, what does she have that I don't?"

"Ryan?"

"I am the number one girl in my brother's life. I am his twin sister and I was his first friend. Kelsi –"

"Is the first person who saw Ryan's full potential before you did, the first girl he fell in love with and she makes him happy. I think that makes her perfect for him," Zeke said.

Sharpay merely stared at him. How had he managed it? How had he managed to calm her down and make her understand how perfect Ryan and Kelsi were for each other? How had he known the right things to say and do? And the perfect answer came to her.

He had never given up on her when everyone else, including Ryan, did. He took the time to get to know her when she didn't want him to, cared for her when no one else did and understood her even when she didn't understand herself. He, Zeke Baylor, was the only one for her and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him and only him.

As excitement flooded through her and adrenaline pumped into her veins, she turned to face him and gave him the most passionate kiss she had given him. He arms locked themselves around his neck and his hands caressed her face as he returned the kiss, no doubt surprised at the sudden gesture although he was enjoying it.

As they broke apart for air, Sharpay kept her gaze on Zeke. "Marry me. Now."

His eyes widened in absolute shock and he looked at her, too stunned for words.

Her heart was beating a million times faster as she put her hand to his face and repeated herself, "Marry me. Now."

He blinked at her before a grin spread across his face. His laughter, a musical sound to her ears, emitted from him and he jumped from his spot, picked her up bridal style and nodded.

"Yes," he grinned. "Always."

And two hours and twenty-seven minutes later, Sharpay Evans was officially Sharpay Baylor.

* * *

"Aww… You guys, that was so sweet!" Kelsi squealed and hugged them while Ryan clapped Zeke on the back. Sometime between Sharpay's recount, Sharpay's parents had left to argue in a more private environment and Zeke's hand had slipped into hers and Sharpay was still amazed at how perfectly their hands fit even though it had been a full year since they had gotten together.

"Kelsi, I'm so sorry. I really –"

"It's fine, Sharpay. We're cool," the composer smiled genuinely and Sharpay looked at her brother next. He shrugged and gave her a small smile before hugging her and then Zeke. Kelsi gave the couple a kiss on the cheek each and grinned at them as she radiated happiness and wrapped her arms around Ryan.

The female blonde looked at her new husband and grinned cheekily. "You ready to tell your parents?"

Zeke gave her a small smile and brought her hand to his lips before kissing it tenderly. "With you? Always."

**A/N: Please review! :D**

**P.S. If you guys noticed, I didn't include the wedding vows yet. That'll be another chapter! :) Please review! Chaylor is next!**


	23. Commitment: Part 1

"I'm breaking up with him."

Five simple words had Gabriella Bolton looking up from her new-born baby boy, Daniel Jack, and her eyes widened in unpleasant surprise at the serious look on her best friend's face. She had never seen Taylor so serious and vulnerable. Fighting to keep calm, she voiced her question.

"Why?"

And then she saw it. Taylor's face held all the emotions she was feeling and Gabriella saw longing etched on her friend's face when Taylor looked at Daniel. Gabriella saw the sadness at not having a baby of her own and the frustration of not being able to have one. It wasn't that there was something wrong with Taylor, it was just that her other half was not ready for one.

"I want one, Gabby. I want to have a child of my own with a man who's willing to be with me and love the baby with me. Chad's not ready to be one. He's not ready to commit himself to me."

Gabriella found herself getting angry at Taylor's words. "How can you say that? The two of you have been together since you were sixteen! You're the most important woman in Chad's life! It's obvious to anyone he loves you, Taylor."

"Is love alone really enough?" her friend questioned softly. "He hasn't even given a single hint of proposing to me. Every time I bring up the subject of children and marriage, he changes it. I want children, Gabriella, and I can't be with a man who's afraid of commitment.

"You have no idea how many times I've daydreamed about him proposing to me, about being called Mrs. Taylor Danforth. You have no idea how I've tried picturing how our kids would look like. I've never even told you that I've picked out their names. Our oldest boy would be Brad Ryan Danforth and he'd have my hair but Chad's face and he'd be as funny and loving as his father. But Chad doesn't want this, Gabriella."

Tears had streamed down both the women's faces and Gabriella rushed to hug her best friend. "You have to do what you think is best for yourself, Taylor. But breaking up with Chad is going to crush both of you. You've been together longer than me and Troy."

Taylor laughed bitterly. "And yet, your relationship is stronger and you got married first."

"Chad and Troy are two different people. Chad has always had problems expressing how he feels but the love he has for you is there and it's alive and it's great. Are you sure it's something you're ready to give up?" the Latino asked, her beautiful brown eyes wet with tears, silently screaming and begging Taylor not to do it.

Taylor nodded. "I want to always be with him, Gabriella. But if he can't be the father of the children I want, if he can't give me his name, then it just proves that our love itself isn't enough."

* * *

  
"CHAD DANFORTH!"

The ice-cold glare a very pregnant Sharpay Evans was directing at him made Chad gulp and turn to look to his friends for help. Troy, Zeke, Jason and Ryan held their hands up to tell him he was alone as each of them backed away and Sharpay got closer. She stopped directly in front of him. He was so not prepared for the hard punch she gave and he stumbled to the ground on impact.

He clutched his jaw as pain came and felt the sticky crimson red liquid on his hand. Troy and Jason helped him up as Ryan and Zeke tried holding back and calming down the hysterical Sharpay.

"Sharpay, you have to calm down. You're not supposed to get worked up! You're carrying our baby!"

"Sharpay! You're putting my nephew at risk! Stop struggling, damn it!"

"LET GO OF ME!"

Seeing the distressed look on both Zeke and Ryan's face for the safety of their baby and their wife slash sister, Troy stomped up to her and yelled, "Damn it, woman! Calm the fuck down and think about your baby before you get all worked up and hurt it, will you!"

The mention of bringing harm to the baby calmed her down and as Zeke and Ryan released her, her hands automatically went her large stomach and she protectively rubbed her hands around her belly. Zeke wrapped his arm around her and kissed her forehead.

Nobody noticed the short moment of longing that crossed Chad's face. He was suddenly picturing a pregnant Taylor with the glow he had seen on Sharpay, Kelsi and Gabriella. He saw himself with his arm around her like Zeke had with Sharpay and his hand gently on her stomach as he caressed it.

He was snapped out of the reality when Sharpay slapped him across his already hurting face, though this time, she was calmer and finally looked satisfied. Chad muttered a few curses and glared at his friends who were watching from the sidelines. They were either too afraid to get involved, or too amused and curious to find out what he had done now.

"You want to tell me why I deserved that now?" he hissed, annoyed as he rubbed his sore jaw.

"What are your intentions concerning Taylor?" she asked bluntly. From the sides, Troy spat out the water he had been drinking while the others looked confused. Chad blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"What are your intentions concerning Taylor?" Sharpay repeated, as though she was asking the simplest question in the world.

"You're asking me this after I've been with her for nine years?"

"That's exactly my point, Danforth. You've been together with her for almost a decade and I don't see you two getting married any time soon. You cringe at the idea of marriage and flush at the mention of children. What's up with that?"

Chad felt the urge to roll his eyes when he heard Jason and Zeke try to hide their amusement by turning their chuckles into coughs while Troy and Ryan didn't even bother hiding their amusement. Sharpay blatantly ignored them as she awaited his response.

"Well?"

Chad really did roll his eyes this time. "We're both content with the way things are between us, Sharpay. Marriage will just –"

"You're both content or is it just you? Because I don't know about you, but Taylor has been having doubts about the seriousness of your relationship since you're the last one in the gang to propose. She's been ready for marriage and kids since you guys made it through your long-distance relationship through college, you moron!"

The afro-headed basketball player sighed. "Fine. I am not ready, okay? I don't know if I'll ever be. There, I said it. You happy now?"

Sharpay narrowed her eyes dangerously at him. "No, I'm not. Word of advice, Chad. If you're not ready for marriage, end things with her."

His heart skipped a beat and anger overtook him at Sharpay's 'advice'. Who was she to tell him to break up with Taylor?

"I said I wasn't ready for marriage. Not that I was ready to end things with the love of my life, you bitch," he growled and ignored the fact the Ryan and Zeke had protectively joined Sharpay and Troy and Jason were beside him in case they needed to calm him down. Sharpay ignored him calling her a bitch.

"The love of your life is one of my best friends. And I don't like seeing her miserable in a relationship she knows is not going to go any further. You know Taylor and how much she craves having a child of her own. And if you can't give her what she wants, then you're not good enough for her and you don't deserve her."

With that, Sharpay Baylor nee Evans stomped out of the basketball court with Zeke and Ryan following her to make sure she didn't stress herself and hence, leaving behind Troy, Jason and a pale and insecure Chad.

* * *

  
"Chad? We need to talk."

The four words Taylor uttered made her insides go weak and she felt her heart beat a million times faster. She wasn't ready for this. She wasn't ready to break up with Chad, to let him go, but she had to if she wanted the future and children she craved for, even if Chad would never be the father of her children she so badly wanted him to be. But asking so much of him would be selfish of her and Taylor knew she just had to do it.

"Don't leave me," his plea escaped his mouth before he could stop it. He watched as her eyes widened in surprise and the all too familiar guilt in her eyes. The guilt that hadn't once appeared since college. He watched as she closed her eyes to control her emotions, as she tried to hide that she was hurting too, but Chad loved her too much and he knew her well enough to know see past her act.

She took his hand into hers. "I- I'm sorry. But I want –"

She gasped when he got down on one knee and held out a small velvet box to her. Her eyes watered as he stared up at her.

"Taylor, will you marry me?"

It was the moment she had dreamt of since she started dating him, the moment she had practiced saying yes to, the moment that she knew would be perfect. And yet, it seemed too wrong, too sudden and too forced.

She shook her head and tears spilled freely down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Chad, but I can't. I'm not marrying you just because you feel bad and want to make amends with me. I love you and I know you love me but I will not marry you and accept your proposal as an apology. I'm sorry."

And with that, Taylor McKessie ran up to her room and cried her eyes out while her ex-boyfriend stood dumbly at the living room before he too, left her house without emotions.

* * *

**A/N: Please review! Sorry for the late update! **


	24. Commitment: Part 2

Chad glared at the picture on his nightstand, willing it and the memories it brought to just disappear. It was the picture Troy had taken of him and Taylor on their high school graduation day. They were just staring into each other's eyes and their arms were wrapped around each other as though no one else in the world mattered. And Chad really believed, that at that moment, that was exactly the way they had felt.

"CHAD DANFORTH! OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW OR I WILL IT BREAK DOWN, DAMN IT!"

Chad cursed at the angry voice outside his door and groaned as he forced himself to get out of bed. An angry Sharpay was normal. An angry Gabriella, however, was something entirely rare and scary. The afro-headed male dragged his lazy ass across his bedroom floor and wrenched his door open, ready to face Gabriella Bolton. What he wasn't expecting, however, was a pregnant Kelsi Nielson-Evans at her side. The mother-to-be looked at him with such dissappointed and sad eyes that Chad just felt like throwing up there and then.

"What are you guys doing here?" he mumbled as he tried to stop them from coming into his bedroom. His efforts were to no avail, however, as the two women just marched past him. Chad watched as disgust and sympathy crossed their faces when they saw the state of his room. Beer bottles were scattered around the floor, pictures of Chaylor were crumpled and around the rubbish bin and the cigarette packs all around the room made Kelsi let out a small gasp and Gabriella smack him on the head.

"Smoking? Seriously? Are you fucking kidding me?" Gabriella hissed. If Chad hadn't felt so defensive, he might have laughed at her cursing. Gabriella grabbed the bottle in his hands and smashed it into the rubbish bin. Fury ignited in Chad.

"Hey! I just lost the love of my life. I think I'm allowed to drink and smoke and do anything that calms me down, alright?"

Gabriella snorted. "Oh, please. The only reason you're without Taylor right now is because you can't make another commitment."

"I proposed to her and she rejected my proposal. What more is there, Gabriella, huh? She wants a husband and children she'd love but when I finally propose to her, she turns me down. So don't go blaming me on this, alright? The one you should be blaming is that bitch you call your best friend."

SMACK!

He felt the stinging pain on his cheek less than seconds later and his eyes widened at his best friend's wife. Gabriella was seething with anger, her eyes wide, jaws clenched and hands on her hips as she glared at him. From the side, he saw Kelsi rub her hand around her small stomach but kept his attention on the Latino.

"You think she's not hurting? She loves you so much, Chad! She gave up her position in New York for you out of all people. She could've been big and rich and she could have fulfilled her dreams of being President. But she gave them up. For you! I tried to stop her, to get some sense into her head and reminded her of her dreams. But you know what she said instead?"

Chad blinked.

"She said that she'd rather stay with you. You became her everything and she said that those bright futures wouldn't have been bright without you. She'd sacrifice so much for you and here you are, after one fight, with beer bottles and cigarettes in your possession. You claim you love her, that she's the love of your life, but you propose to her so that she wouldn't break up with you? Seriously, Chad, who does that?"

"Chad, did you even think of the future when you proposed to her?" Kelsi asked and for the first time in a while, Chad was thankful for her quiet demeanor.

Chad just stood there. Had he thought about his future with Taylor? He was so concerned about not losing her that he hadn't thought of anything else.

Was he ready for a future with Taylor? He'd been with her for nine years, longer than many unmarried couples had been together and he'd enjoyed every minute of being with her, even when they were fighting. He loved the way she laughed, the way she was as fiercely protective of those she loved like he was and he loved that she'd wanted a future with him. Was he ready to finally be her husband? Hell, yeah he was.

Seeing the look of realization cross her best friends' face, the same look that she had witnessed so many times, Gabriella grinned to herself. _Mission accomplished. _

"She's hasn't left the house since you proposed to her. Go get her, tiger," Kelsi smiled. Pumped with adrenaline, Chad staggered out of his room, leaving the two women in the room. Kelsi turned to Gabriella.

"Do you think we should have told him to take a shower first?"

Gabriella Bolton just shrugged.

* * *

"I'm an idiot, I know."

Taylor turned around at the sound of the voice she loved so much and just looked at Chad. She'd never seen him so disheveled, so lost. His face was stubby and hairy, obviously displaying that he hadn't shaved in a while. He was in trek pants and a crumpled t-shirt and his hair was even messier and wilder than usual. He was panting, as though he had been running a marathon. Taylor's eyes widened in realization.

"Did you... Did you _run_ here?"

Chad shrugged. "Traffic's a bitch at this time of the day."

She just stared at him as he drew closer and closer to her until he was only an arms' length away. He gently took her hand and Taylor gasped as he went to his knees. She opened her mouth to protest, "Chad, we're not getting back together."

"I need you to listen to what I have to say, alright?" he asked as though she had not spoken.

Taylor sighed and nodded, knowing that whatever he said would not make a difference. She wanted a future with kids and a husband who loved her unconditionally. While Chad did love her unconditionally, Taylor knew he would never be ready for a kid.

"I love you, Taylor. So damn much and maybe I didn't know what I wanted when I was an idiot and proposed to you the other day, but I know what I want now. I want you, Taylor McKessie, and that will never change. I want you to have my babies, to be the person I come home to every day after work and the person I know I cannot live without. And I don't think I'll be a good father" Chad felt his heart sink when Taylor dropped his hand after that but continued on anyway, "Because having a child is a big responsibility and well, I'm Chad. I always screw up. But I know that I'll always have you by my side to help me be good enough for you and our baby. I love you, Taylor. And the thought of our children running around the house, calling each other names and kissing us goodnight scares the shit out of me but at the same time, it makes me smile. Marry me, Taylor, and I will prove to you that I can be a good father and maybe a better husband."

Taylor smiled. "I love you too, Chad. Yes, I will marry you."

"Really?"

"Really."

Chad laughed as he slipped the ring onto her finger and gave her a passionate kiss.

"We're not going to have a baby if you're not ready, okay?" Taylor asked as she leaned against his chest.

Chad kissed her hair. "I'm ready if you are, Taylor."

"You do know that babies mean diaper duty, right?"

"Are you purposely trying to scare me?"

"Maybe."

"Well, you're scaring me shitless but I'm still not going anywhere."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry I took a long time just to update this! I still don't know if you guys are interested in this story but if you are, please review!**


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